
The era of the Supermodel began with one image: models Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell (in portrait below), Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz on the cover of the January 1990 issue of British Vogue. The man who brought them together was German photographer Peter Lindbergh, whose monochromatic interpretation of high-low glamour launched the women to international superstardom. In doing so, he changed the visual culture of contemporary fashion.
Lindbergh, who died Sept. 3 at 74, was one of the industry’s most trusted photographers. His affinity for shooting in black and white was as well-known as his distaste for ageism and artifice. He championed women as they were, in stripped-down yet elegant portraits, intimate images that defied the shallowness often associated with fashion. The world may look for “perfection and youth,” he told TIME in 2016, but beauty “is about emotions.” Lindbergh photographed the world’s most famous faces–but in his pursuit of real beauty, what he was really looking for was soul.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com