Stunning Fashion Photography in the 1960s by Neal Barr

Neal Barr opened his photo studio in New York City in 1962, specializing in fashion and beauty assignments for magazines and advertising agencies. Between 1963-1965, he shot eight covers for Sports Illustrated, including boxer Cassius Clay’s first SI cover. From 1966-1974, he was a contributing photographer to Harper’s Bazaar, frequently photographing the French couture collections.

Fashion photography in the 1960s by Neal Barr

In 1968, Barr’s photograph of Naomi Sims for the cover of Ladies’ Home Journal broke the color barrier for mainstream women’s magazines. His commercial clients have included Revlon, Cover Girl, Estée Lauder, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Christian Dior, Halston and Fabergé.

After 43 years in New York City, Barr relocated his studio to Ventura, California where he concentrates on photographing a book project of his own collection of 1920s vintage fashion. His images have been exhibited at the Staley-Wise Gallery in New York and the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of New York, and have been purchased by collectors worldwide.

These stunning photos are part of his work that Barr took fashion portraits of classic beauties in the 1960s.

Tilly Tizzani in bright pink coat of crisp, diagonal-weave wool at Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Neal Barr, Vogue, October 1, 1964

Tilly Tizzani in creamy white and gray striped French wool flannel suit by Ben Zuckerman for Bergdorf Goosman, photo by Neal Barr, Vogue, February 1, 1964

Agneta Frieberg in Empress Chinchilla coat by Emeric partos of Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1965

Wilhelmina in pale oyster-bisque suit of wool crêpe by Ben Zuckerman for Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Neal Barr, Vogue, February 1, 1965

Deanna Lambert in pink tree-bark crêpe column topped with a little white wool jacket, threaded with silver and studded with twinkling beads and stones of silver and pink by Leslie Morris, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, 1966

Deanna Lambert in short, white silk crêpe smock with a frost-fall of jewels on the shoulders and arms by Mollie Parnis, coiffure by Mr. Thomas of Michel Kazan, earrings by Vendôme, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, 1966

Deanna Lambert in tiny bolero with the sparks of a thousand fuschia and turquoise sequins over a pure fall of white crêpe by Stella, coiffure by Mr. Thomas of Miche Kazan, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, November 1966

Model in giraffe-print outfit by Rudi Gernreich, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, 1966

Astrid Schiller in a pure white wool gabardine dress, belted at its slightly lifted waist, sparkling with diamanté buttons by Jerry Silverman, earrings by Apex Art, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1967

Astrid Schiller in crinkly white cotton dress cross-etched in soft-edged lines of red and blue by Tanner, earrings by Laguna, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1967

Astrid Schiller in sleek, double-knit , sleeveless dress in palomino-beige and white with four little buttons down the front by Leslie Fay, bracelets by Robert Originals, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1967

Cathee Dahmen in sequined-splashed dress, bell-sleeved and flaring to cocktail-hem height by Arnold Scaasi, magnificent diamond necklace by Harry Winston, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967

Diana Newman in a whirlwind of pleats blowing free from tiny halter shoulders into circles of olive, peacock and red by Sarmi, feather earrings by Maison de Fou, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967

Isa Stoppi in black velvet jumper-pajamas with kimono sleeves, swimming with waves of silver Oriental flowers by Sarmi, earrings by Atelier Nina, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, October 1967

Isa Stoppi in deep powder-blue crushed velvet caftan traced with silver flowers and richly braided by George Halley, jewelry by Jules Van Rouge, mules by Herbert Levine, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, October 1967

Marola Witt in spectacular flight of silver-gray pleats from a raised bodice crushed with matching chiffon rosettes in Bianchini silk by Sophie of Saks Fifth Avenue, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, April 1967

Maud Adams in long, lavender evening shirt ruffled in a flourish of fluting and tied with n enormous sash of chartreuse satin by Andrew Woods, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967

Maud Adams in pale gray crêpe knickers cuffed thigh-high, hugged by rose crêpe belt beneath deep-slashed ruffled shirt by Mr.Mort, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967

Merle Lynn is wearing an extraordinary necklace of a clear yellow sapphire pendant clasped to blue and yellow sapphires and diamonds set in gold by Van Cleef & Arpels, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967

Model in a tunic of melon crêpe over matching thigh-high pants cuffed by glistening bands of blue crystals by Oscar de la Renta for Jane Derby, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967

Model in an ultrablue crêpe toga over shock-rose, loose evening pajamas by Gustave Tassell, necklace by Alma Davies, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967

Model in flirty violet sheer coat of chiffon trimmed with ostrich plumes over matching sleeveless silk surah dress by Dior, earrings by Charles Elkaim, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967

Model in pale blue crêpe dinner culottes, sparkling with silver-splashed bands, zipped up in front and sashed at the waist by Malcolm Starr, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967

Model in royal blue worsted silk dress cuffed in a rainbow of paillettes, wooden beads and crystals by Malcolm Starr, stockings by Dior, mules by Julianelli, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, August 1967

Model in white, silk-crêpe slip of a dress veiled by a lace coat with ice-white stripes and snow-rose scallops by Bill Blass for Maurice Rentner, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, December 1967

Models in romantic, long culotte dresses of pale porcelain-blue against a vivid red topped by a short bolero (left) or a sleeveless coat, by Donald Brooks, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1967

Sharon Tate in Jasmine EMBA white mink coatdress by Emeric Partos, mink hood by Halston, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, February 1967

Cathee Dahmen in a bare midriff dress of fluttering black leaves over a gathered silk gauze skirt, Marola in silk gazar chasuble cape over a straplesss dress, both by Balenciaga, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1968

Cathee Dahmen in brilliant white linen middy jacket fastened with gold rounds over red silk blouse and navy wool skirt with repeating gold buttons down the front by B.H. Wragge, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1968

Cathee Dahmen in deep back evening dress of smoky taupe cigaline over white crêpe, Marola in red cigaline side-wrapped dress with bare midriff, both by Givenchy, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1968

Cathee Dahmen in evening dress of black silk gazar with bodice of black silk organza leaves and Marola Witt in deep blue silk gazar, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1968

Cathee Dahmen in evening organdy dress rimmed with coral and gold embroidery, belted in Moroccan gold chains and medallions by Marc Bohan for Dior, berber headdress and two chignons by Alexandre, photo by Neal Barr, 1968

Cathee Dahmen in lovely ruffled organdie dress scattered with gardenias across the bodice by Castillo, photo by Neal Barr, 1968

Cathee Dahmen in narrow navy blue cotton gabardine dress under a small white back-buttoned jacket worn with deep-brimmed navy blue hat, by Balenciaga, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1968

Cathee Dahmen in swirling red and white chiffon evening dress, the hem and sleeves circled with red and white ostrich feathers by Marc Bohan for Dior, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, April 1968

Diahann Carroll in a pantsuit by Cuddlecoat, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1968

Lucy Angle in Empire evening coat, cut short in primary green and white polka dots over an Empire white lace dress by Bill Blass for Maurice Rentner, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1968

Marola Witt (front) and Cathee Dahmen in dresses of marron-glacé silk gauze with soft brown leather at the waist and triple collars of white organdy by Pierre Cardin, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, March 1968

Marola Witt in a white wool knit dress with gilded buttons, placket opening and an easy straight shape by Sacony, hat by Halston, clogs by Olaf Daughters, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1968

Marola Witt in coral chiffon toga ending in asymmetrically pointed hem with sprays of ostrich feathers by Castillo, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, April 1968

Marola Witt in white organdy evening dress with a Pierrot ruff at the throat and tier on tier of free-flying confetti dots by Balmain, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, April 1968

Model in chrome-yellow, three-button wool travel coat over a matching dress boldly checked in black by Ben Reig, coiffure by Christopher of Vidal Sassoon, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, January 1968

Model in navy wool coat-dress by Originala at Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Neal Barr, Vogue, February 15, 1968

Vicki Hilbert in the ultimate cape, a spinning circle of bleached white Russian ermine by Emeric Partos for Bergdorf Goodman, photo by Neal Barr, Vogue, November 15, 1968

Alexandra Afganisjew is wearing a pinwheel brooch with central cluster of emeralds and diamond-pavé sails by Donald Claflin, photo by Neal Barr, Harper's Bazaar, November 1969