“This was inspired by the film 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' – Karen Mulder played Jane Russell. I wanted to capture the real femme fatale that Karen knows so well how to do. This shoot was filmed by MTV and played for years.”
—Ellen von Unwerth, 2024For 'Pin Up', Vogue Italia, February 1992
ULTIMATE ELLEN VON UNWERTH showcases an exclusive selection of 16 unique Polaroids taken by the celebrated photographer Ellen von Unwerth. These Polaroids provide a fun and insightful glimpse into her creative process, capturing defining moments during the supermodel heyday of the late 1980s to the early 2000s. Many of the works were created during editorial assignments for international publications, including Vogue US, Vogue Italia and i-D. 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 Linda Evangelista. 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 SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta in 2023. Since 1994, von Unwerth has published nine photobooks to date.
‘Pin Up’, Vogue Italia, February 1992 Literature
‘Pin Up’, Vogue Italia, February 1992 (variant)
ULTIMATE ELLEN VON UNWERTH
105
Tell Me That You Love Me, Karen Mulder, New York
1992
Unique Polaroid Type 100 print.
Sheet: 11.4 x 8.9 cm (4 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.)
Signed in ink on a Certificate of Authenticity label affixed to the reverse of the frame.
This work is unique.
Estimate
£2,000 - 3,000
Sold for £4,826
Rachel Peart
Head of Department, London
RPeart@phillips.com
Yuka Yamaji
Head of Photographs, Europe
YYamaji@phillips.com
Clare Lamport
Head of Sale, Associate Specialist
CLamport@phillips.com
General Inquiries
+44 20 7318 4092
Photographs
London Auction 21 November 2024
23
This lot is no longer available.
