“This was a shoot inspired by the movie Sweet Charity. I had all the hottest models of the moment on set; Naomi [Campbell], Stephanie Seymour, Shana [Zadrick], Tatjana Patitz. I had my future husband play the Big Spender. However, I was not sure this was such a good idea as while we were shooting, I saw him looking at all the sexy girls as they tried to turn him on, just like in the movie.”
—Ellen von Unwerth, 2022

ULTIMATE ELLEN VON UNWERTH showcases an exclusive selection of 20 unique Polaroids taken by the celebrated photographer Ellen von Unwerth. Unveiled for the first time, von Unwerth’s Polaroids provide a fun and insightful glimpse into her creative process, capturing defining moments during the supermodel heyday of the 1990s and early 2000s. Many of the works were created during editorial assignments for international publications, including Vogue US, Vogue Italia and The Face. Advertising campaign images include Paris Hilton for Guess in 2004 and Alessandra Ambrosio for Victoria’s Secret in 2005. This dedicated offering presents von Unwerth as a storyteller who creates narratives that embrace spontaneity, sensuality and joyfulness and features some of the biggest names in fashion, including Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Karen Mulder and Nadja Auermann. These Polaroids – intimate, one-of-a-kind works of art in their own right – acted as visual studies for what became the final published images and hold a special place in von Unwerth’s oeuvre, serving as unique artefacts of analogue photography.

Ellen von Unwerth is one of the most renowned photographers working in fashion today. A model turned photographer, von Unwerth gained worldwide recognition for the now-iconic 1989 Guess campaign that helped to launch the supermodel Claudia Schiffer. A highly sought-after figure, von Unwerth has shot for all the top magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Interview, The Face and i-D, as well as high-profile advertising campaigns for the likes of Guess, Chanel, Dior, Revlon, Victoria’s Secret, and many more. In addition, she has directed commercials for global brands, including Revlon and Clinique, as well as music videos and short films. Von Unwerth is the recipient of numerous awards, notably the 2019 Lucie Award for Achievement in Fashion, and her works have been exhibited worldwide, most recently at Fotografiska New York in 2020. Since 1994, von Unwerth has published nine photobooks to date.

‘Shock and Short’, Vogue Italia, April 1991.
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  ‘Shock and Short’, Vogue Italia, April 1991, n.p. (variant)