Fashion Photographer Patrick Demarchelier's Best Photos of All Time

Whether you recognize the name Patrick Demarchelier from his famous namedrop in The Devil Wears Prada or from hours spent poring over vintage fashion magazines, there's no denying the widespread influence of Demarchelier, who is recognized as one of the most famous and noteworthy fashion photographers of the era. 

In the wake of the photographer's passing, join L'OFFICIEL in fêting Patrick Demarchelier's best photographs and the impact they had on the fashion world. 

Patrick Demarchelier rose to renown after photographing countless striking campaigns for various fashion publications and for his unique style of portraiture—through which he snapped pictures of some of the most famous supermodels and cultural icons of the era, which are regarded among the best photos taken in his career. Demarchelier moved from Paris to New York City in 1975, where he began working as a freelance photographer, collaborating with photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Jacque Guilbert, and Terry King, which allowed him to sharpen his technical skills, his eye for photography, and his knowledge of the NYC fashion scene. 

You may not know the iconic photographer by name, but you certainly know his photos. His legendary portrait of Princess Diana is one of the most widely recognized photos of the royal figure, and his shots of models like Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Kate Moss are equally as emblematic of the '90s era of fashion. Demarchelier also worked on some of the most recognizable ad campaigns and cultural projects of the century,—Farrah Fawcett's shampoo commercial in the '70s, Brooke Shields' lifestyle book, Janet Jackson's 1993 Rolling Stone cover, and Talisa Soto's famous Calvin Klein ad, among others. 

Demarchelier's work with Princess Diana was especially notable, as his status as the Princess of Wales' personal photographer made him the first non-British photographer hired by the royal family. Additionally, as a massively influential cultural figure, the photographs of Princess Diana were widely seen, spreading Demarchelier's name—and his revolutionary portraiture style—across the globe. These portraits were also instrumental in shaping Princess Diana's public image, and due to the photographer's style, her popularity skyrocketed. 

Aside from his work with Princess Diana, Demarchelier worked with numerous major fashion publications as well as countless luxury fashion brands—including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine, Ralph Lauren, and Tag Heuer, among others. Throughout international advertising campaigns and global fashion magazine features, Demarchelier quickly found himself one of the top fashion photographers in the industry, recognized for his intimate style of portraiture, his unique ability to capture dynamic, spirited movement, and the subtle, but no less captivating emotional tones of his photos. 

On March 31, 2022, it was reported that Patrick Demarchelier passed away at the age of 78. Although he was survived by his wife, Mia Demarchelier, and his three sons, his artistic legacy lives on in the form of countless massively influential photos.