(El Venenero Marbella Spain 1971 by Slim Aarons via source)
Having experienced enough World War II combat at age 18 to earn a Purple Heart for bravery, U.S. Army photographer George Aarons decided that the only beaches worth landing on were "decorated with beautiful, seminude girls tanning in a tranquil sun." A cooler name and a move to California later, Slim Aarons began photographing celebs like Clark Gable, Gary Cooper and James Stewart. "I knew everyone," he explained in a 2002 interview with The (London) Independent. "They would invite me to one of their parties because they knew I wouldn't hurt them."
(Slim Aarons image via source)
Although Aarons believed himself to be "one of them" it was probably more a classic case of the starstruck outsider looking in and idealizing his subjects. His women were generally glamorous, always beautiful and often seminude, his men handsome and in their element.
Even the way he worked spoke of a humble attitude, showing up to shoot without any posse of fashion stylists and hair/makeup people. Rather, his formula for success was to "photograph attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places."
Decades later, his unapologetic images of the good life shot for high-profile magazines like Town & Country, Holiday and Life continue to seduce and beckon.
(image via source)
For her Spring 2015 collection, the creative director of Pedro del Hierro Madrid found herself inspired by images that Aarons shot in Spain during the 70s. "All these wonderful ladies naked around swimming pools," notes Carmen March, "but what would they wear?" The smart ones (literally & figuratively) would opt for the sleek white shift dress, a kaftan (or 3), easy/breezy frocks, the eyecatching gold jewelry and soft suede sandals.
- Lesley Scott
This dripping-glam, jetset focus is a signature of the Supremium fashion tribe. For more of my posts and podcasts about this tribe, CLICK HERE. To learn more about each of fashion's four mega-tribes that I track, START HERE.
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