A new book has been added to the textile library: Horst, Photographer of Style.
Horst Paul Albert Bohrmann was born on August 14, 1906 in Weißenfels-an-der-Saale in Germany. He studied design and carpentry, and architecture in Paris where he met he met George Hoyningen-Huene, the preeminent photographer at French Vogue. Huene became Horst’s mentor, inviting him to work with the magazine in the fashion capital. In 1937, during the Second World War, he left occupied Paris and moved to New York where he met Coco Chanel who he would collaborate with for decades.
Horst P. Horst’s photographic style was unique and distinctive. He led the way in fashion photography with light and shadow, Surrealist elements, composition and eroticism each playing their part to bring the subjects into focus. He also photographed historic sites including Persepolis and parts of the Middle East, and in the 1950s created a series of male nudes that redefined the genre.
The new book in the library was once owned by Christchurch City Library and has some wear and loose leaves, but it is a fabulous addition. It shows the breadth of experimentation and the stunning results that have made Horst one of fashion’s best-known names in photography.
Read more: