Oct 20

Oct 20 Ellen von Unwerth: A Celebration of Spontaneity and Sensuality Comes to Zurich

Art, Creative People, Culture, model, Photography

Christophe Guye Galerie presents Ellen von Unwerth’s first solo exhibition in Switzerland

By Leila Antakly

There are photographers who capture fashion, and then there are those who capture feeling. Ellen von Unwerth has always belonged to the latter category. The German photographer transformed fashion photography in the late 1980s by injecting it with an irresistible cocktail of joy, sensuality, and narrative energy. Now audiences will have an opportunity to experience her groundbreaking work in depth, as Christophe Guye Galerie in Zurich presents the photographer's inaugural solo exhibition in Switzerland.

The exhibition brings together a selection of von Unwerth's most striking large-scale prints alongside a substantial group of previously unseen vintage prints. But the real treasure lies in an exclusive selection of never-before-shown original Polaroids—intimate works that function both as autonomous artworks and as rare documents tracing the development of some of her most celebrated images. These Polaroids reveal the immediacy and instinct that define von Unwerth's photographic language, offering viewers an unprecedented glimpse into her creative process.

Von Unwerth's journey to becoming one of the most influential image-makers in contemporary fashion photography began, fittingly, in front of the camera. After a successful ten-year modeling career, she picked up a camera herself in the late 1980s, bringing with her an invaluable understanding of what it means to be photographed. This insider perspective would become her secret weapon, allowing her to create images where her subjects appear genuinely uninhibited, playful, and empowered.

I met her briefly while working at Italian Vogue in the late 1990s. It was the era of the waif and the grunge aesthetic—Kate Moss in Calvin Klein, minimalism reigning supreme. But von Unwerth's editorials stood out like bright splashes of color in a sea of muted tones. She stayed true to her style: sexy, exuberant, unabashedly feminine. While others were stripping fashion photography down, she was building it up into something cinematic and alive.

The Guess Campaign That Changed Everything

The shoot that launched von Unwerth into the stratosphere—and simultaneously established Claudia Schiffer as a fashion icon—was the 1989 Guess jeans campaign. Shot in black and white, the series featured Schiffer in a domestic kitchen setting, wearing a bra and Guess jeans while holding a recipe book. The image was both classic and contemporary, familiar yet fresh. Schiffer's candid expression and averted gaze gave the photograph an authentic, unstaged quality that felt revolutionary at the time.

This collaboration between Guess, von Unwerth, and Schiffer would prove iconic, producing some of the industry's most memorable campaigns and cementing von Unwerth's reputation as a photographer who could capture women through a distinctly female gaze.

A Cinematic Vision

What sets von Unwerth apart is her ability to transform static images into moments within larger, theatrical narratives. Her photographs often resemble movie stills—dynamic, high-energy scenes that suggest stories unfolding just beyond the frame. This photo-novella approach, combining vintage pinup aesthetics with modern, rebellious spirit, became her signature.

Her photobooks Wicked (1998) and Couples (1999) exemplify this narrative style. Wicked, featuring Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima in a series of high-contrast black and white portraits, was praised for its erotic and unconventional storytelling. The playful images captured in that book demonstrate von Unwerth's philosophy: using strong compositions to highlight her models in the most beautiful way possible while maintaining spontaneity and authenticity.

During this prolific period, von Unwerth shot for major publications including i-D, The Face, and Vanity Fair, creating a notable 1998 i-D magazine cover featuring Devon Aoki. She photographed Elizabeth Hurley in Las Vegas for Arena in 2001 and captured famously candid sessions with Naomi Campbell. In 1998, American Photo Magazine recognized her impact by listing her as one of the most important photographers of the year.

A Legacy in Motion

Von Unwerth's iconic campaigns for Guess, Chanel, Dior, and Miu Miu, along with her editorials for Vogue, Vanity Fair, i-D, and The Face, have made her a defining figure in international photography. Her work has been exhibited at leading institutions worldwide, including the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, Foam Amsterdam, the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami.

Her photographs have become part of our collective visual memory, revolutionizing how we see women in fashion imagery. She moved away from stiff, objectifying poses to capture moments of genuine joy, sensuality, and self-expression. The exhibition represents a rare opportunity to experience the breadth of von Unwerth's practice, from her most celebrated large-scale works to intimate Polaroids that have never been publicly shown. The exhibition will run from 30th Oct to the 25th of Jan 2026.

Cover
Nadja Auermann, Morocco, 1992/1994
Silver gelatin print, later print
60 x 50 cm (23 5/8 x 19 3/4 in.)
Edition of 15