Sunday, Jun. 23, 2019 – Sunday, Sep. 22, 2019

Explore the rich and varied history of fashion photography through Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography. More than 200 photographs by famous practitioners and lesser-known, yet influential artists present a broad and diverse perspective on fashion photography and its trajectory from niche industry to powerful cultural force. The exhibition surveys the gradual recognition of fashion photography as an art form.

Icons of Style showcases a broad and diverse view of fashion and fashion photography—from elegant portraits made in the early 20th century to the trendsetting fashions of Beyoncé, David Bowie, Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Jones, Run DMC, and Salt-N-Pepa; to images that have graced the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Ebony, and Essence.

The exhibition not only chronicles trends in fashion over the past century, it also reflects broader cultural shifts. From aristocrats, to street style, to supermodels and globalism, fashion photography often defines the ways people see themselves. Icons of Style brings together local, national, and international loans, augmented with works from the MFAH collections.

Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography | June 23–September 22, 2019

► Publication
The illustrated exhibition catalogue is available through the MFA Shop (713.639.7360) and the Museum’s Hirsch Library (713.639.7325).