Stunning Black and White Fashion Photography by Maurice Tabard in the Early 1950s

Born 1897 in Lyon, French photographer Maurice Tabard and his father left Paris for New York, where he pursued photography at the New York Institute of Photography in 1914.

Fashion photography by Maurice Tabard in the Early 1950s

Tabard became a professional portrait photographer for Backrach Studio in Baltimore following the death of his father in 1922. He went on to photograph important homes and well-known people, including future President Calvin Coolidge and his family.

In 1928, Tabard returned to Paris and became a fashion photographer. It was there he met Surrealist writer, Philippe Soupault, who in turn acquainted him with various prominent magazine editors including Lucien Vogel, Giron, and Alexey Brodovitch. He went on to work for a number of publications, such as Bifur, Vu, Harper’s Bazaar and Le Jardin des Modes. He made the acquaintance of Surrealists Man Ray and René Magritte, with his work beginning to reflect the influence of Surrealism. In the late 1920s, he also met Roger Parry, to whom he taught photography, and André Kertész. In 1929, his work was featured in the Film und Foto exhibition.

In 1951, Francis Quirk would curate an exhibit of his work at Lehigh University along with photographs by Ansel Adams. Tabard died in 1984 at the age of 87. These stunning black and white photos are part of his work that Maurice Tabard took fashion portraits of classic beauties in the early 1950s.

Myrtle Crawford in navy wool bolero and skirt by Spectator, with it a blood-orange felt cloche swaddled in chiffon by Otto Lucas, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, February 1950

Pat O'Reilly in black linen 3/4 slacks buttoned at the knees and halter top, comes with striped jacket (not shown) by Londonus, angler's bag at Simpson's, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1950

Pat O'Reilly in oatmeal tweed suit by Travella, tweed sou' wester hat by Erik, photo by Maurice Tabard, Scotland, Harper's Bazaar UK, August 1950

Shelagh Wilson in beige tweed, three-button suit with bulkless, fur-collared 3/4 coat and crochet cloche by Margaret Barry, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1950

Shelagh Wilson in strapless dress of black moiré squared in pink by Teen Togs, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, January 1950

Windsmoor's suit in brown-and-white check with narrow skirt (left). Ian Meredith's coffee-colored belted jacket and black skirt (right), photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, January 1950

Myrtle Crawford in beautiful ball dress of white organdie and lace over a pink satin slip by McGeachin, photo by Maurice Tabard in the Twenty One Room at Chesterfield House, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1950

Barbara Miura in navy-blue lace and taffeta dress, the short full skirt pleated alternately in each material, by Mary Black, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, May 1951

June Duncan in white organdie evening dress, broderie Anglaise edges the ruffled sleeves and neck and forms an apron line over its great flounce by Frank Usher, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, May 1951

Pat O'Reilly in ample box coat of 7/8 length broadly overchecked in gray and green, under it a slim tailored suit of matching teal-green tweed by Koupy, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1951

Anne Gunning in dress in lattice-work of deep shaped tucks in white organdie alternating with black lace converging in center of skirt baring the ankles by Elizabeth Henry after Dior, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, May 1952

Anne Gunning in strapless, navy-and-white, coin-dot organdie dress with triangular fringed shawl by Frank Usher, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

Barbara Miura's short hair is swept round from a high side-parting and brushed up from the nape in dovetailed ends by René, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

Fiona Cambell-Walter is wearing an unparted coiffure that is wide at the temples, springing back and cut in semi-shingles behind by French's Salon, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

Fiona Campbell-Walter in fashionable, pale, fleecy topcoat by Berg of Mayfair, string beret from The Princess Boutique, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

Ivy Nicholson is wearing a chestnut straw hat with a black velvet bow at the side and a wide-meshed veil scattered with huge black chenille spots by Svend, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1952

Ivy Nicholson is wearing a little champagne-colored straw hat, crisply veiled and a stiff brush of feathers standing up on the crown by Rose Descat, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1952

Ivy Nicholson is wearing a side-dipping pirate's cap of champagne and white straw twisted and tied over one ear with a rolled brim by Paulette, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, March 1952

Julia is wearing a head-hugging turban in white nylon polar-bear fabric that is washable by Aage Thaarup, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, October 1952

Julia is wearing a jaunty cap of black peach-bloom velours banded with black sequins and small sequined bobble hangs of the tip by Edna Wallace, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, October 1952

Julia is wearing a peach-bloom fur felt tiny gothic gray hat which twists into a tie behind by Wooley Sanders, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, October 1952

June Duncan in gray flannel dress tucked with a black cummerbund and glazed with white piqué at collar and cuffs by Silhouette de Luxe after Fath, hat by Simone Mirman, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, May 1952

June Duncan in honey-and-black pure silk surah print dress, belted in black petersham by Marcus, floppy-brimmed straw hat by Rudolf, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

June Duncan in wide greatcoat in deep rose velours with enormous shawl collar, sleeves and cuffs from Neal Roger, beret from Marcelle, photo by Maurice Tabard on the quayside beside the Queen Elizabeth, Harper's Bazaar UK, January 1952

Nola Rose in a white mutation mink wrap that is half coat, half stole, with cuffed sleeves that push up the elbow, at Fortnum & Mason, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, August 1952

Nola Rose in summer suit in toffee-colored heavy rayon-shantung by Koupy, caramel straw hat from R.M. Hats, photo by MauriceTabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

Patricia Goldworthy's coiffure is Emile's version of the poodle-cut, curled over the forehead and ending in a ducktail in back, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952

Susan Abraham in pleated white organza evening dress with stiffened petticoats by Julian Rose, photo by Maurice Tabard, Harper's Bazaar UK, June 1952