Fashion Photography by Louis Faurer in the Early 1960s

Louis Faurer (1916 – 2001) was an American candid or street photographer. He was a quiet artist who never achieved the broad public recognition that his best-known contemporaries did; however, the significance and caliber of his work were lauded by insiders, among them Robert Frank, William Eggleston, and Edward Steichen, who included his work in the Museum of Modern Art exhibitions In and Out of Focus (1948) and The Family of Man (1955).

Fashion photography by Louis Faurer in the early 1960s.

Faurer did fashion photography for Vogue, Junior Bazaar, Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, Elle, and Glamour, as well as assignments for Life and Look for more than twenty years. He complained that his work at Life involved too much travel, so he quit in the early 1950s. Most of the prints and negatives of his fashion work have probably been discarded, as Faurer stored them with a friend when he left the country in the late 1960s, then failed to reclaim them.

In 1984, while running to catch a New York city bus, Faurer was struck by a car and seriously injured. He never photographed again. He spoke of his “intense desire to record life as I see it” as his only motivation: “As long as I’m amazed and astonished, as long as I feel that events, messages, expressions and movements are all shot through with the miraculous, I’ll feel filled with the certainty I need to keep going.”

China Machado in beigey-white wool tweed coat baring the throat by Originala, hat by Mr. John, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960

China Machado in gorgeous white crêpe gown by Gustave Tassell caught in luxurious long coil of natural dark mink by Maximilian, ring by Harry Winston, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960

China Machado, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, 1960

Isabella Albonico in full-skirted brown Chantilly lace dress sashed in white satin by Harvey Berin, earrings by Miriam Haskell, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, April 1960

Isabella Albonico in pretty white organdy dress with dashes of black and white gingham bordered with black velvet by Highlight, black tulle hat by Lilly Daché, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, June 1960

Model in brilliant white summer dress of Swiss cotton georgette, gently crinkled, with matching head scarf, by De De Johnson, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, April 1960

Model in pink and white dress its chiffon overskirt floating above a silk surah sheath by Sophie of Saks Fifth Avenue, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, April 1960

Model in wool knit heather blouse banded in charcoal over a charcoal gray skirt by Goldworm, perfect for travel, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, July 1960

Nena von Schlebrugge in magnificent Empress chinchilla evening wrap by Scaasi for Ben Kahn, Tiffany's 128.51 carat canary diamond reset by Schlumberger, coiffure by Enrico Caruso, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, December 1960

Simone d'Aillencourt and Dorothea McGowan in ensembles by Castillo for Lanvin, photo by Louis Faurer, 1960

Simone d'Aillencourt in a textured white silk dress bloused and horizontally tucked by David Goodstein, shady white straw hat by Irene of New York, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, June 1960

Simone d'Aillencourt in elegant gray and white coat of double-faced wool over a white surah dress, both by Ben Zuckerman, white straw toque by Dior-New York, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, February 1960

Simone d'Aillencourt in evening gown by Jules Crahay for Nina Ricci, photo by Louis Faurer, 1960

Simone d'Aillencourt is wearing a coat by Jules Francois Crahay for Nina Ricci, photo by Louis Faurer, Paris, 1960

Simone d'Aillencourt wearing reversible cape over belted dress with split skirt, photo by Louis Faurer, Paris, 1960

Simone D'Aillencourt, photo by Louis Faurer, 1960

Capucine in silvery lace overblousing topaz velvet looped up to fall in rich folds that trail in back, by Werle, coiffure by Valerie of Beverly Hills, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, October 1961

Carmen Dell' Orefice in Autumn Haze EMBA mink jacket with round collar, shorter in front and dipping low in back by Maximilian, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, March 1961

Dorothea McGowan in blue and white flecked silk tweed jacket over a matching sleeveless dress belted in white kidskin by Jo Copeland-Pattulo, hat by Dior-New York, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, March 1961

Elsa Martinelli in beaded blouson top and satin skirt by Howard Greer, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, October 1961

Model in brown silk herringbone dress and matching jacket with organdie bow at the throat by Paul Parnes, helmet hat by Lilly Daché, Van Cleef & Arpels pin, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, January 1961

Model in suit of gray chiffon wool flannel worn with tan silk print overblouse by Paul Parnes, hat by Halston, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, February 1961

Audrey Sedor in bright dark blue silk chiffon gown, narrow, high-waisted and panelled, by Oleg Cassini, Sandor Goldberger pin, coiffure by Kenneth Batelle, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, November 1, 1962

Audrey Sedor in charming black chiffon dance dress, finely pleated and at front and back, a black satin bow, by Luis Estevez, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, October 1, 1962

Audrey Sedor wears a belted black silk dress with a halter neckline by Hansen, a black satin head bow by Lilly Dache, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, 1962

Deborah Dixon in short clipped gray coat of Dynel and mohair by Modelia, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, August 1, 1962

Jean Shrimpton in dinner/theater suit of a beige velvet metallic brocade, with a leafy design in gold and silver, with pale blue chiffon blouse, hair-bow by Lilly Daché, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, November 1, 1962

Jean Shrimpton in enormous shell of a cape of natural black and white silver fox tied with black crêpe ribbon, by Emeric Partos, coiffure by Kenneth Batelle, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, November 1, 1962

Jean Shrimpton in rust and white plaid wool tweed suit with short windbreaker jacket that zips up the front by Tiffeau & Busch, coffee colored bowler by Halston, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, December 1962

Jean Shrimpton in short evening dress of black peau-de-soie cloaked under a huge wingy panel that points down in the back to the hem by Trigere, coiffure by Kenneth Batelle, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, November 1, 1962

Jean Shrimpton in wonderful white three-piece suit of lacy wool, by Monte-Sano & Pruzan, hat by Mr. John , photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, December 1962

Kiki Olsen wearing sailor's crew cap in ticking-striped denim by John Frederics, photo by Louis Faurer, Mademoiselle, 1962

Model in evening great-coat of yellow satin lined in white taffeta worn over white chiffon dress embroidered in beads, crystals, pearls and diamantés, by Helen Rose, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper's Bazaar, November 1962

Model in sheer white sleep-culottes of myriad tiny pleats with a wisp of a top, by Edouard, photo by Louis Fauer in the Virgin Islands, Harper's Bazaar, April 1962

Model is wearing V-neck, sequined black dress by Rudolf, photo by Louis Faurer, Vogue, 1962