. . . recently discovered the terribly sophisticated and stunningly beautiful work of Henry Clarke (1918-1996), an haute couture photographer whose work reached its height in the 1950’s and 60’s.
Born in Los Angeles, Clarke’s family moved to San Francisco in 1932, where he got a job as a window dresser for the I. Magnin department store. In 1946, he went to New York and became a background and accessorising assistant at the Vogue studio, where, while watching Cecil Beaton photograph model Dorian Leigh, he decided on becoming a fashion photographer.
He worked under contract to the American, French and British Vogues from 1950 to the late 70’s. During the editorial reign of Diana Vreeland, when jet travel made exotic locations more accessible, he traveled to India, Sicily, Mexico, Iran, Jordan and Syria for features that often took up to 20 incredible pages.
He died of leukaemia on April 26, 1996 in the south of France at the age of 77. His photographs of haute couture and of the stylish and oftentimes royal women who wore it, were published in a book titled, L’Elegance des Annees Cinquante.
