The exhibition Norman Parkinson: Always in Style displays breathtaking photographs which revolutionized the world of fashion photography in the 20th century. Known for his innovative and unique body of work, Norman Parkinson developed his own distinctive style throughout his 56-year career, from pre-war 1930s Britain and the austerity fashions of World War Two, the Parisian New Look of the 1950s and Swinging London in the 1960s, to the glamour and glitz of the 1970s and 80s, working continuously until his death in 1990.
Parkinson gained recognition in his early years as he revolutionized photography by moving female models from the static, serious and controlled environment of the photographic studio to real-life locations and exotic surroundings. This dynamic and spontaneous style garnered the attention of numerous fashion magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and Town & Country, which earned him international recognition.
This exhibition offers a generous retrospective of Parkinson’s influential career, featuring 80 photographs that reflect the transformation of women’s fashion and helped shape the way it was communicated to the public over several decades.
Through changing times Norman Parkinson knew how to keep up by reinventing his style and staying abreast of emerging generations of young photographers and models. His photographs helped create the age of the supermodel and made him the photographer of choice for fashion designers, artists and writers, iconic Rock and Pop stars, Hollywood stars and British Royalty.
Terence Pepper, who directed the photography department at the National Portrait Gallery in London, is the curator of the Norman Parkinson: Always in Style exhibition, in collaboration with Alex Anthony and Iconic Images which owns and exhibits the archives of Norman Parkinson.
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