Legendary fashion photographer Steven Meisel has been named this year's Master of Photography at Photo London 2026. Despite his prolific career, Meisel rarely speaks to the press and avoids social media, publishing very little and holding only a handful of public exhibitions. This rare showcase highlights his work in London, particularly the iconic Anglo-Saxon Attitude series.
Exhibition Details
The exhibition, titled Steven Meisel: Master of Photography, will be held at Olympia, London, from 13 to 17 May. Guardian readers can use the code GUARDIAN to receive a 20% discount on tickets.
Rare Opportunity
Michael Benson, co-founder of Photo London, who has worked with Meisel before, remarked: "Steven's agreement to present a group of London portraits is a rare and special thing for the fair."
Meisel's London Connection
Meisel's first professional assignment in London came after his collaboration with Madonna on the iconic book Sex. This project gave him the freedom to work on a sprawling project over several weeks, unlike the typical two- or three-day shoots.
Anglo-Saxon Attitude
Meisel came to London to work with Isabella Blow on Anglo-Saxon Attitude for British Vogue. He recalled: "Issie just gave me all these different pictures of society girls she knew." One of them was Stella Tennant, whom Meisel adored: "I fell in love with Stella, with everything about Stella. What an incredible model. She would sit there reading books in Chinese. She was just great."
Capturing London's Spirit
Meisel coached each model to achieve the exact pose and attitude he envisioned. Shooting in locations from Spitalfields alleyways to docklands, canal locks, and Notting Hill streets, his portraits captured London's anarchic sense of fashion.
Notable Subjects
Stella Tennant wasn't his only discovery from Blow's list. In a crowded London pub, Meisel had Vogue fashion assistant Plum Sykes pose on a table in a silver bikini while patrons watched football. Sykes, who later worked with Alexander McQueen, described Meisel as "mesmeric." This sentiment was echoed by other models, including Honor Fraser, Lady Louise Campbell, and Bella Freud, who summed up the punk spirit: "You had to deconstruct your manners and be as rude as possible."
Enduring Influence
Meisel's understanding of all aspects of fashion is unparalleled, and his influence has nurtured the careers of numerous models. His portraits are a testament to his ability to see what others miss: "I think I'm good with discovering people, whether or not they are a model. I see things in them that they might not see."
Memorable Encounters
Meisel was commissioned to create a 10-page spread on Twiggy for Italian Vogue. Unbeknownst to Twiggy, Meisel had met her once before when he was 12, having skipped school to watch her on a shoot in New York in 1967.
Marlon Richards, son of Keith Richards, was a frequent subject for Meisel in the early 1990s, featuring in iconic 1993 Vogue Italia and Per Lui shoots. Meisel also captured model Lucy Ferry in Paris, then married to Roxy Music's Bryan Ferry, wearing Christian Lacroix for a shoot that later appeared in Vogue Italia.
