Fashion Photographer Patrick Demarchelier Has Passed Away at the Age of 78
The photographer leaves a lasting legacy on the fashion industry and the history of photography…
On March 31 the death of fashion photographer, Patrick Demarchelier was announced on his Instagram account; although the cause of death has not yet been confirmed, a source close to him told WWD that he died of cancer in St. Barths.
Demarchelier was one of the most famous fashion photographers in the world who lensed celebrities from Kate Moss to Christy Turlington, Beyoncé and Princess Diana. His iconic photographs helped define an era of modern elegance at the end of the twentieth century.
He even infiltrated mainstream media on a few occasions – most notably in the Devil Wears Prada, with Miranda Priestly’s infamous line, “Get me Demarchelier,” to which her beckoning assistant (Anne Hathaway) would reply, “I have Patrick.”
Demarchelier’s images changed the vernacular of fashion photography; they were a marked departure from the flamboyant glamour of the previous two decades. A true classicist, his photographs were more about showcasing the natural beauty of his self-assured subjects than the clothes themselves. This clean, unencumbered style was well-suited to expressing the effortless, minimalistic aesthetic that characterised fashion in the 1990s.
Born in 1943 in Le Havre, France, Demarchelier moved to New York in 1975, where he cultivated his craft while working alongside top editors, magazines and designers. By 1993, his close friendship with Harper’s Bazaar’s editor, Liz Tilberis lead him to working almost exclusively for the publication.
In 1989 he started photographing Princess Diana and became her unofficial personal portraitist. His ability to capture her endearing, warm personality contributed to creating her public persona of the “people’s princess.”
Demarchelier is survived by his wife, three sons and three grandchildren.
Lead image: Linda Evangelista, September 1992 cover of Harper’s Bazaar US shot by Patrick Demarchelier