Cover Juergen Teller on the red carpet for Balenciaga (Photo: Richard Bord/Getty Images)
Juergen Teller on the red carpet for Balenciaga (Photo: Richard Bord/Getty Images)
1 / 1
The photographer is known for his minimal yet bold body of work, often a topic of controversy among members and observers of the fashion community due to its disruptive nature
When it comes to the scope of contemporary visual storytelling, Juergen Teller has rightfully earned his place as one of its most radical movers and shakers. The German photographer, known for his uniquely organic “come-as-you-are” approach to shooting for numerous magazines and campaigns, has captivated and polarised style enthusiasts throughout his three-decade-long career.
His signature oeuvre comes across as no-fuss and hyperrealistic, sometimes tinged with eroticism, and often drawn to the tendency to portray his celebrity subjects as either seemingly regular individuals or with their personalities exaggerated to the point of caricature. And yet, the fashion community can’t seem to get enough of him, with big names such as Louis Vuitton and Missoni frequently securing his services.
Teller and his camera are certainly here to stay for the foreseeable future. In commemoration of his 59th birthday, here are 5 iconic images that cement the photographer as an enduring fixture in the industry.
More from Tatler: Filipino conservation photographer Gab Mejia shares their favourite photos
Kate Moss
Above British supermodel Kate Moss photographed by Teller in the 1990s (Photo: Juergen Teller)
British supermodel Kate Moss photographed by Teller in the 1990s (Photo: Juergen Teller)
1 / 1
Donatella Versace once asked British supermodel Kate Moss to dye her trademark blonde hair a cotton candy shade of pink for the Versace Spring/Summer 1999 show. Teller captures the model with a demure grin, her locks sprawled across the pillow—a far cry from her show-stopping couture looks. The look was also featured in Moss’s 2012 pictorial autobiography ‘Kate: The Kate Moss Book’.
Related: 20 of our favourite runway and off-duty looks from Kate Moss
Vivienne Westwood for Vivienne Westwood Autumn/Winter 2007
Above Vivienne Westwood poses with an axe for her AW 2007 campaign (Photo: Juergen Teller)
Vivienne Westwood poses with an axe for her AW 2007 campaign (Photo: Juergen Teller)
1 / 1
Frequent collaborators Vivienne Westwood and Teller are cut from the same cloth, both brazen disruptors of the fashion industry. The duo even joined forces in 2017 for an exhibition in New York. Westwood, well into her sixties, is pictured wielding an axe and donning her creations from her Autumn/Winter collection.
Victoria Beckham for Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2008
Above Victoria Beckham for Marc Jacobs (Photo: Juergen Teller)
Victoria Beckham for Marc Jacobs (Photo: Juergen Teller)
1 / 1
“You’re the most photographed woman in the world,” Teller once told Victoria Beckham. “You’re kind of a product yourself, aren’t you?” This exchange brought about one of the most iconic Marc Jacobs campaigns. The Spring/Summer 2008 ad featured the upper half of Posh Spice’s body concealed in a Marc Jacobs shopping bag, with her legs sticking out and splayed apart almost comically.
Joan Didion for Céline Spring/Summer 2015
Above Joan Didion for Céline (Photo: Juergen Teller)
Joan Didion for Céline (Photo: Juergen Teller)
1 / 1
Joan Didion, one of the most recognisable voices in American literature, embodies the essence of Céline in an effortlessly chic ad—a brainchild of then-artistic director Phoebe Philo. The image highlights Teller’s aptitude for portraiture, his definitive bright flash humanising Didion in a way that almost contradicts her status as a literary figurehead.
On a related note, Didion’s pair of Céline sunglasses, which she had owned for decades, were sold for USD 27,000 at auction almost a year after she died in 2021.
Maggie Smith for Loewe Spring/Summer 2024
Above Maggie Smith (Photo: Juergen Teller)
Maggie Smith (Photo: Juergen Teller)
1 / 1
The legendary Maggie Smith took the internet by surprise last year when Loewe announced its spring 2024 campaign. The 88-year-old Harry Potter star was featured front and centre modelling the brand’s signature puzzle bag. It’s a unique and almost humorous dynamic—the formidable actress working with the incendiary photographer. The creative result showcases Teller’s knack for blurring the lines between the artistic and the commercial.
NOW READ
Catch ’em all: Fendi reveals a quirky collaboration with Pokémon and Fragment Design
Who made the cut? Take a look at our top 10 style stories of 2023
About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
