Patrick Lichfield, Paul and Talitha Getty, Marrakech, 1967
Estimate £2,000–3,000.
Although Talitha Getty was not much known to a wider public in her lifetime, fashion gurus have often written of her and Marrakech as being virtually synonymous. Talitha is probably best remembered for an iconic photograph taken on a roof-top in Marrakech, Morocco in January 1967 by Patrick Lichfield. With her hooded husband in the background, this image portrayed her in a slightly apprehensive, crouching position, wearing a multi-coloured kaftan, white harem pants and white and cream boots. The look seemed to epitomise the hippie fashion of the time and became an example over the years for what, more recently, has been referred to as "hippie chic", "boho-chic" and even "Talitha Getty chic".
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John Swannell, Fine Lines, Plate 97, 1981. Estimate £2,000–3,000.
John Swannell is a contemporary British photographer working in both fashion and beauty but also portrait photography. At the age of 16, Swannell left school and worked as an assistant at Vogue studios and then assisted David Bailey before setting up his own studio. He has worked for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Tatler and The Sunday Times, developing his distinctive and instantly recognisable style – fine art photography juxtaposed with surrealism and humour. He portrays the female form through his confident handling of light and shade, creating striking, powerful and spectacular images.
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Lorenzo Agius, Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit, 1996.
Estimate £4,000–6,000.
In 1997, Lorenzo Agius’ photograph of Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit defined Cool Britannia on a Vanity Fair front cover. It is in fact the only time the magazine's legendary cover has been shot by a photographer on their first-ever shoot. When he shot Gallagher and Kensit, Agius contrasted their images to emphasise why they were Britain's It couple at the time, capturing the zeitgeist at the height of Britpop. "The whole thing for me was beauty and the beast – Liam was the ruffian who would wear a hat and smoke a fag in bed so I told him to be tough and stare me down. Patsy was the babe so I told her to be all over her man," he explains. Interestingly, Agius describes Liam as being incredibly quiet on the shoot. "At that point he was at his most rebellious and angry and was annoyed off with anyone fussing around him. He couldn't handle it," says Agius.
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Chris Levine, She's Light (Laser 2), 2013. Estimate £18,000–25,000.
Many artists perceive the power of their art in movement, but Chris Levine seeks to display this power intrinsic in stillness. His celebrity subjects such as Kate and the Queen might be among the most photographed people in the world, but Levine has a talent for capturing them at rest, as if in the calm of the media storm. Levine says the challenge as a photographer is to distance himself from the idea of his subject and to instead focus on the person he has right in front of his lens. In his sittings with Kate, he was determined to ignore Kate Moss, the supermodel, and instead tried “to bring her back, just to Kate – Kate, Kate, Kate.” In doing this, he manages to take one of the world’s most recognisable faces and show it in a new light.
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Allen Jones, Woman, circa 1965. Estimate £1,000–2,000.
The subject of a major recent retrospective at the Royal Academy, British Pop Artist Allen Jones embraces popular culture and in turn has influenced everything from design to film to fashion. Often provocative and always striking in his execution, his works, such as Woman, draw inspiration from the female figure.
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Norman Parkinson, Pilan Crispi, Sri Lanka, Town and Country, 1980. Estimate £1,500–2,000.
Norman Parkinson was one of our greatest fashion photographers. He was active for over 50 years and was instrumental in taking portrait and fashion photography beyond the stiff formality of his predecessors, by instead injecting an easy and casual elegance into his images. His spontaneous and free style changed forever the static, posed approach to fashion photography, while his enchanting, eccentric character charmed his sitters and projected an alluring and glamorous public image. Here, Pilar Crespi is pictured wearing a Krizia bathing suit on Trincomalee beach, and seen walking down some steps in Sri Lanka.
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Mary McCartney, Kate in Red Dress, 2005. Estimate £5,000–7,000.
Mary McCartney’s photography focuses on portraiture and reportage whose work has taken her backstage at The Royal Ballet and into Tracey Emin’s studio to capture her dressing up as Frida Kahlo. Throughout McCartney’s photos, we find her eye for those wonderful unguarded moments. The empathy she shares with her subjects is what leads her to capture these unforgettable occurrences. Here, we find Kate Moss, sitting coyly on an antique chair in a red dress designed by Mary’s sister, the fashion designer Stella McCartney.
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Norman Parkinson, Barbara Mullen, Kashmir, India, Vogue, 1956.
Estimate £1,500–2,000.
Standing at 6ft5in tall, Parkinson was unable to remain unobtrusive behind the lens and instead created 'Parks', the mustachioed, ostentatiously elegant fashion photographer – as much a character as those who sat for him, and frequently more flamboyant. His flawless professionalism, manners and well-rehearsed eccentricities reassured the uneasy sitter and disarmed the experienced. Here we find the model Barbara Mullen on the waters of Kashmir, India, bringing together a classic, elegant composition with vibrant colours.
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On 16–20 September London Fashion Week returns, showcasing some of the world’s most beautiful clothes and accessories, and laying down the trends for the next season. In our upcoming Made in Britain sale on 28 September, we have an inspiring selection of works for sale by artists who have worked with fashion houses, models and magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar (who are hosting talks at Sotheby's this weekend as part of Luxury Week - Sign Up Here). Click ahead to see some of the highlights.
Made In Britain
28 September | London