I got a call from the secretary of the legendary British Vogue editor Beatrice Miller ” Can you come in and have tea with Ms Miller” she said. I knew to appear promptly when summoned and immediately made my way to her office from the studio at the top of Vogue House. I knocked on Ms Millers  office door, which was adorned with a YES or NO sign dangling by a string, which set the minimal and clipped tone of her approach to visitors.

I strolled into the room and sat down opposite Ms Miller waiting to hear why she wanted to see me. ” Clive” she said,  holding  up the latest Vogue, showing me the above photograph of Maudie James; “This”  Ms Miller continued in a voice that exuded both admiration and pride “is the most beautiful photograph I have seen in Vogue for a long time. I am sending you to see Alexander Liberman  (the Art Director of American Vogue) with this picture,  so you can work for Vogue USA.”  I was then duly dispatched to the offices of American Vogue, armed with a  letter from Beatrice, a print  and a copy of the current issue of British Vogue.

I arrived at the Vogue offices in New York and was silently  shown into Mr Libermans huge office over looking the city with its spectacular sky line.  Mr Liberman had his back to me and was staring thoughtfully out of the window. “Hello Mr Arrowsmith” he said very deliberately “I have been looking  at your work, this photograph, it is very beautiful, but your work is far to exotic for American Vogue.  Maybe we can talk in a year or so.  Nice of you to come, do please give my regards to Ms Miller.” Stunned at being damned with faint praise, I respectfully  thanked him for his time and left, feeling totally deflated and quite embarrassed having travelled all that way to be so bluntly dismissed as ‘exotic’. I was staying at  The Algonquin Hotel  and I found solace in a few NYC Martinis,  before taking what felt like a humiliating flight home. On my return I told Beatrice the whole story, feeling as if I had let her down.  She calmly lit a cigarette and said gently through the smoke, “I don’t understand this at all, your work is great.  Don’t be upset.  Lets do  another beautiful feature.” And that was that, although Ms Miller did send me to the US again to shoot the East Coast  US Issue of British Vogue, while Norman Parkinson shot the West Coast (it was one of his last shoots). I did feel that was something of a message to Mr Liberman and illustrated Ms Millers defiant confidence in me. I also shot other features and some covers with Maudie, many styled by Grace Coddington for Vogue.  She was the quietest cover girl I have ever encountered throughout my career,  she never really said much at all.  She was so sweet, and very shy, but just came alive on film and seemed so serene. She has a way of looking into the camera, that was very enchanting. Below are some of the other images I shot of the shy and oh so  sweet Maudie James. Maudi James – Elphy Cover of Vogue March 1970 Maudie James – peaceful profile from the March 1970 cover shoot. Maudie James looking angelic holding some corn. A behind the scenes snap of Maudie James with hairstylist extraordinaire John Frieda who had run into shot with a coat to keep Maudie warm. John and I worked together on so many shoots, we became dear friends and I’m really proud of the work we did together. Good times.

• Clive Arrowsmith is shooting stunning images, staging exhibitions and is as passionate about photography as he was when he first pressed the shutter at The Paris Collections. He is available for global media opportunities related to his work and photography generally. Bespoke prints from Clive’s archive are also available by special request, for any enquiries  (email Eugenie here). Clive’s book Arrowsmith: Fashion, Beauty & Portraits is available here and Lowry at Home: Salford 1966 is available here

It was a fraught and adventurous shoot, it has to be said, I risked life and limb by hanging over the edge of the top of the spiral staircase, with assistants holding my legs and jeans belt so I didn’t come to an untimely end.

Susan Moncur wearing Zandra Rhodes – photo Clive Arrowsmith

I first met Zandra at a shoot at Vogue studios while I was photographing some of her clothes with Vogue stylist Grace Coddington. She later asked me to do a poster for her next seasons collection. She had booked the beautiful model Susan Moncur who was the toast of the Parisian fashion scene at the time. My dear friend Leonard was going to do the hair and the glorious and outrageous Richard Sharah was the make-up artist (who was also amongst my closest friends).

Zandra brought the most incredible high collared pink felt jacket to the shoot which was so vivid and vibrant. Susan Moncur looked incredible in it. When I first met her, Susan didn’t say much. After we had been shooting for a while she said, “You are supposed to tell me I look beautiful,” I laughed and said, “Why should I tell you, you are beautiful, when you already know you are, or you should know by now” For a moment she seemed a little taken aback by my frankness but then her face broadened into a smile and she said in her wonderful french accent, almost in a whisper, “You know Clive I think you might be right.” We both burst out laughing. As you can see from the pictures she was the most poised and elegant model. She had a way of moving that was always sublime and the camera adored. Her poise acted as a foil to Zandra’s clothes which are always very bold and exciting in contrast to Susans understated sensual presence.

Susan Moncur wearing Zandra Rhodes – photo Clive Arrowsmith

In Zandra’s new book ‘Zandra Rhodes: Fifty Fabulous Years of Fashion’ written by the amazing and highly regarded fashion historian Dennis Nothdruft you can see the scope of Zandra’s design genius. Spanning from the classic little black dress to the opulent, exotic patterned operatic style flowing gowns, her gift is undeniable. Zandra is a major talent as well as being a very bright, approachable and affable lady. The Fashion and Textile Museum (London) are currently exhibiting Zandra Rhodes: Fifty Years of Fabulous from now until the end of January 2020. I recommend you go along and see the gowns in real life, I say this unreservedly the gowns are works of art.

Zandra Rhodes and Richard Sharah late 80s – photo Clive Arrowsmith

Zandra asked me to do her portrait at a later date (below),it was amazing working with Leonard and Richard on these portraits of her. Richard, bless him could never stay out of the picture or put down his cigarette packet, so I have quite a few images of him touching up the make up while I was shooting. Richard was such an accomplished painter as well as make up artist and it was he that first introduced me to computers and made me purchase my first Apple computer. We were very close, he looked after my son and was the most adorable man and I still miss him.

Zandra Rhodes – photo Clive Arrowsmith

Richard could never resist dressing up himself and he used to drive me to distraction when he would enter the set in part of full drag distracting me from my focus and making everyone collapse with laughter. I used to get really cross with him and say “Richard for F**k’s sake will you stop it.” He was about 6 ft five and could have broken me in half but he was the most gentle giant. He really was able to create make up to enhance any style or garment.

Merisa Bereson – Zandra Rhodes poster (1974) photo Clive Arrowsmith

The above picture of Merisa Berenson was shot while she was filming Kubrick’s seminal film Barry Lyndon for this classic Zandra Rhodes campaign poster. Leonard did the most incredible work on Barry Lyndon creating extraordinary wigs and hair. The film was shot using very wide aperture lenses in the candle light scenes which Kubrick insisted on and he also used special lenses borrowed from NASA, that were used to photograph starlight. Marisa was very demure and reserved and we didn’t talk very much as she had to get back to the film set in Ireland. I think Barbara Daly did the make up (which had the 17th Century feel of the film) and Zandra put her in this incredible creation for the shoot.

Zandra Rhodes and Pat Cleveland (early 70s) – photo Clive Arrowsmith

I got this wonderful image of Pat Cleveland and Zandra together from an earlier shoot at Vogue studios in London. There is something very joyous about this picture, both Pat and Zandra where very effervescent and really bounced off each other.

Anne Schaufuss – wearing Zandra Rhodes – photo Clive Arrowsmith

The picture above of Anne Schaufuss was taken in the early 70s when Grace Coddington styled Anne for Vogue. It’s incredible that my relationship with Zandra has spanned so many decades and we have had so much fun working together. She kindly sent me a copy of the Zandra Rhodes: Fifty Fabulous Years of Fashion’ book with an endearing note, thanking me for preserving her dresses ‘forever’. I think I should be thanking her for her incredible creations, but I will write some more about that in The Rhodes to Zandra: Part Two.

Mexican Collection Zandra Rhodes 1976 – photo Clive Arrowsmith

Jeff Beck

My agent called me and said ” Jeff Beck would like you to shoot  his next album cover – Rough And Ready“. I was delighted as I really revered his innovative guitar playing. There’s sometimes a bit of a problem photographing really gifted musicians. They are not always into having their picture taken. There are exceptions like Sir Paul McCartney who is really up for dressing up and working quite conceptually. However, Jeff Beck and the then members of the Jeff Beck Group were much less comfortable with the idea of being photographed so I knew I had to take a different approach.

Bobby Tench – Guitars and Vocals

I drove into the English countryside to meet Jeff . After a winding journey down the roads of never ending twist and turns, through woodlands and wild countryside I found at the haven of Beck.  When I arrived all I could see was the backside of a man bent over an engine, who I hoped was Jeff Beck. His head was under the bonnet revving the engine of an American Muscle Car, so I shouted “Hello Jeff’ attempting to get his attention above the extreme roar. Eventually as the V8  sounds faded my shouts were heard and he looked up from under the bonnet, his hands covered in oil and his face smeared too and said “Oh, Hi Clive, my manager said you’d be coming down” whilst drying his hands on an oily rag. He extended an oily hand for a handshake which I accepted, as I looked at my oily hand we both burst out laughing as he handed me the rag. “Well, it’s great to have found you in your secret garage, cottage hideaway”, which I had struggled to find in my Gordon Keeble Saloon (with a Chevrolet turbo fire V8 engine) which I had parked in the driveway. Jeff spotted it and said ‘That’s nice can I have a look under the bonnet” I said “Sure ” relieved that I was in the right place and had found him, he enthusiastically looked under the bonnet and smiled and said “Great engine”.

Max Middleton – Keyboards

We then went into his cosy cottage, which I noted was smaller than the garage and drank coffee and talked about cars and guitars (he seemed to be more interested in cars). I said “Doesn’t it bother you, that you might damage your hands tinkering with those heavy tools” He just smiled and said “No, it’s okay, you just have to take care” I mentioned I had a collection of guitars at my house in Kensington and he said “I’d like to see them”. We finished drinking our coffee and I thanked Jeff and made my way back to London. As I drove I realised I hadn’t said a thing to him about taking any photographs so I just went ahead and my agent and got him to arrange a studio date.

Clive Chaman – Bass

Jeff, Cosy Powell, Max Middleton, Bobby Tench and Clive Chaman arrived at the studios in Chelsea a few days later; they had just finished recording the Rough and Ready (1971) album. I knew these were the best musicians in the world of that genre at the time and for me I was nervous and caught between being a photographer and a huge fan. They were such great looking characters; Cosy Powell struck me immediately with the look of a hero from some kind of medieval war movie. In fact actually all of them could have been in films as they had such a great look. I didn’t attempt to do anything or motivate them during the session it was not necessary. I just lit them as there was nothing to hide and I wanted to capture every detail of their faces, these are just raw rock’ n’ roll photographs of exceptional talent.

Cosy Powell – Drums

Sadly in many ways with the coming of computers and instant media of the now, to meet and photograph these diamonds in their rough and ready setting was truly amazing and fulfilling. Sometime later Jeff called me and said “I’m coming to town to do some guitar tests but I’ve left my guitars in the country, can I borrow a guitar?”  I was mildly shocked that he’d remembered out conversation and non plussed that all my guitars were currently locked away in the studio and we didn’t have time to get them as he was on his way.  I said I’ve got a Gretch Duo Jet guitar with me but all the others are locked in the studio” he said “That’ll do”. He arrived at my house and we drove to the famous Basing Street Studios in Nottinghill Gate, where he plugged it in and tried various settings on the guitar and the amps he was testing. He then said “Nah, it doesn’t quite get the tone for me”. I said, ” You need a Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Strat.” he said “Yeah, any of those would do it for me”.

Jeff Beck – Guitars

Jeff Beck continues to inspire generations musicians and currently has a great new album out called Loudhailer and is on tour; you can book tickets here for dates coming up in 2018.  It’s great that he is still vital and concerned with contemporary life and the planets well being.  It was also sad moment for me looking back at these photographs knowing that Cosy Powell died in a car accident. He was such a great guy and talented musician.

• Clive Arrowsmith is shooting stunning images, staging exhibitions and is as passionate about photography as he was when he first pressed the shutter at The Paris Collections. He is available for global media opportunities related to his work and photography generally. Bespoke prints from Clive’s archive are also available by special request, for any enquiries  (email Eugenie here). Clive’s book Arrowsmith: Fashion, Beauty & Portraits is available here and Lowry at Home: Salford 1966 is available here

I met the legendary Tony Curtis through the iconic hairdresser Leonard. Although he was twenty years older than me, we got on like the proverbial house in fire. We had ridiculous amounts of fun together. Despite his great success he was always very real with me.

We were lads on a mission when we went out together and we indulged ourselves in many ways (I will leave that to your collective imaginations), went to numerous nightclubs over the years, drank champagne and danced with beautiful women because Tony loved to surround himself with beautiful women.

Our friendship spanned many decades and I took the above photo on the balcony of Dodi Al Fayed’s cousins apartment on Park Lane (London) just as it was getting dark in his later years.

I never saw him down he was always very funny and effervescent. I met him for tea at The Dorchester once and he was there dressed in his signature cowboy hat and wearing his gloves (pictured). While we were there people were constantly approaching him and asking for autographs and I said “Do you like all this, or does it drive you mad?”

He replied “No, no, no, I’ve waited all my life for this, I love it.” And he meant it too, he really did love it and he was so gracious to everyone who asked for his autograph. He was also exceptionally intelligent and understood things that few people other than photographers and film makers can understand. I could talk to him about my work, my complicated life, photographic lighting and he just got it. I had the pleasure of watching ‘Some Like It Hot’ with him on several occasions complete with his hilarious inside running commentary.  They say that meeting your heroes can be disappointing but in this case meeting Tony surpassed all expectations.

• Clive Arrowsmith is shooting stunning images, staging exhibitions and is as passionate about photography as he was when he first pressed the shutter at The Paris Collections. He is available for global media opportunities related to his work and photography generally. Bespoke prints from Clive’s archive are also available by special request, for any enquiries  (email Eugenie here). Clive’s book Arrowsmith: Fashion, Beauty & Portraits is available here and Lowry at Home: Salford 1966 is available here

Poster Available now – A4-A3-A2 from £30.00-£55.00 (plus p & p) C-Type print SHOP NOW

It was peculiar for me to find myself on the other side of the lenses when I went to Milan to celebrate 50 Years of The Pirelli Calendar (click for link to Independent Newspaper story, where yours truly might of had a few things to say). It was fantastic to see so many photographers and their work and all the guests assembled in one place to celebrate what for me was one of the most challenging but enjoyable jobs of my career. I shot the Pirelli Calendar twice in the 90s, the themes I used were ‘Heroines’ and ‘Chinese Astrolgy’. The second calendar shoot was also made into a documentary for Granada TV fronted by Michael Aspel. The shoot itself was art directed by my friend Martin Walsh (pictured with the nurses at the end of this post) who was also at the celebrations. We managed to share a few fond memories of make up dripping of the models in the searing heat and the memorable moment when the entire studio set up blew off a cliff. Happy Days!

The above shot was taken in the auditorium with my shot of year of the Ox taking centre stage. Couldn’t stop taking pictures once I was there so in typical photographer fashion I have no pictures of me with anyone.

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• Clive Arrowsmith is still  shooting stunning images, staging exhibitions and is as passionate about photography as he was when he first pressed the shutter at The Paris Collections. He is available for global media opportunities related to his work and photography generally. Bespoke prints from Clive’s archive are also available by special request, for any enquiries  (email Eugenie here). Clive’s book Arrowsmith: Fashion, Beauty & Portraits is available here and Lowry at Home: Salford 1966 is available here

Once we arrived at the Baths I had my assistants set up a flash unit, suspended over the Roman Bath on a boom. This would not have got past health and safety today and I was really nervous incase the boom failed, fell into the water and electrocuted Peter and myself.

When I discovered them again between shoots, exhibitions and the whirlwind of the photography world. I realised how sensual and slightly androgynous the model is who I think is called Mona but I am not 100 percent sure.

I shot these phots on a Linhof 5×4 plate camera for Hearst Magazines – it was a story about the…

Even when I asked her if I could pour water over her head. She said yes and then my assistant was duly instructed to stand on a tall ladder and sprinkle water over her.

I have had the extraordinary blessing of photographing some of the world’s most beautiful women. I first met Kelly in…

Warhol was a man of few words and wielded an antique polaroid camera and insistently took polaroids which he then dropped on the floor, without looking at them. I said ‘Are you going to open the polaroids Andy? He said, ‘No, I like them to cook because the colour becomes more intense.’

Zandra is a major talent as well as being a very bright, approachable and affable lady. The Fashion and Textile Museum (London) are currently exhibiting Zandra Rhodes: Fifty Years of Fabulous from now until the end of January 2020. I recommend you go along and see the gowns in real life, I say this unreservedly the gowns are works of art.

The main thing I find using Adobe Photoshop is I can revitalise and re-image the colour and restore the original quality of the image. An analogy would be, if you remaster a Beatles album, you have the spirit of the original saved in a stable way and that is the blessing of digital.

I always like casting shadows in my pictures and not just casting light, which is something that I don’t think people think about closely enough. There is always the moment of the big reveal that has the most incredible power and dynamism.

I decided it would be fun to shoot in my garden as it was looking particularly good and I had some interesting lighting ideas. I decided to back light all the foliage in the garden so I could capture the the translucence quality of leaves and branches, which gave everything a more mystical look.

Greta looked amazing in this Anthony Price dress. When I explained to her, the concept behind the shoot being women who could have married Prince Charles she burst out laughing and I took this picture.

The suspended box idea was influenced by the box in Francis Bacons paintings, his tryptic of portraits of Lucien Freud (1969)  (see below). The set designer and my assistants dashed of and got some chrome effect plastic tubing and cobbled it all together while the GHD Sirens were in hair and make up.

I shot Kirsten in the late 90s when she was promoting her fantastic BAFTA nominated performance in the English Patient which was an eery, moving and unsettling  film. Most particularly because she was left in the desert alone with nothing but a book of classical Greek poetry.

Jean, without any sense of irony said, “Mmmmmm, Mmmmm, Enjoy” as if she had presented an eight-course gourmet meal, arms triumphantly gesticulating towards the feast. The maid had very kindly cut the pizza into eight pieces that were no bigger than a minuscule Ortolan.

 I found myself being overtaken by a posh accent and my assistants began to comment and laugh. Then I realised it was a hangover from my over doing it the night before and then I realised I had stopped taking drugs 20 years ago, so there was no excuse.

This image of Anne Schaufuss in the fab hat shot in the evening light of Pennsylvania was supposed to be a cover of Vogue in 1973, but at the last minute for some reason it was pulled. I was miffed because I thought it was quite beautiful and I was never given a reason, such was the nature of Vogue at that time and editorial photography generally. You never know what will happen next. The first part of the America Issue story is here. To continue our American odyssey we left New York in a chauffeur driven limo.  We left at dawn just as the bright night lights of New York City were fading and drove into the darkness of Pennsylvania. When I say ‘WE’ I mean myself, model Anne Schaufuss, Grace Coddington, the chauffeur and my  assistant Willie Christie.

I said to Grace “Where are we going today”. She said with a wry smile “We’re going to see the Amish a religious sect who settled in Pennsylvania and who don’t accept modern technology.” As the Amish are a closed community we couldn’t approach them so we drove in their direction. As we approached  their farm land a horse and carriage trotted approached us on the opposite side of the road. I asked the driver if he would slow down so I could get a better look and as they went past I looked at Grace and said “That’s what I want to capture”.

We stopped at a crossroads  near the entrance to their farm and Grace expertly styled Anne in a long skirt, hat and shawl and we just waited for them to come past again in their horse and cart. It was a long wait, I leant on the bonnet of the car and strained my eyes down the long road that dissolved into the thunderous sky.  Willie said ” It doesn’t look good Clive, I can’t see anyone.” It was eerily silent, like the quiet before the storm and we all just stood their in the stillness not quite sure what to do. Then to my utter relief I could hear the distant clip clopping of horses hooves approaching and then we saw the Amish carriage. Willie said ” I think they are going to go right past us”. I quickly instructed Anne to stand to the left of the frame and to remain in the still pose she has adopted in the silence. I had to shoot wide open on a Nikon 28 lens because the sky was so dark and to my great good fortune they turned to the right of the frame and I got a profile view of them going past and one of the young Amish girls turned and looked back at me.

Knowing this was the only chance I would have I ran around to the left of Anne and got an image of Anne stepping forward  towards the carriage. I will never know how I got these image as it is dangerous a 1/30th of a second hand held. Luckily the images turned out quite sharp, thanks to the wonderful Nikon F Camera which was the must have camera of the time.

As the day progressed the expected thunderstorm did not materialise and the late afternoon sky brightened. Looking through the window of the limo I saw this really beautiful mirror like lake and asked the Chauffer to stop driving. I got out and found this rock at the lakes edge and said to Grace, “What can we do with this?”. Grace expertly styled Anne to meld into the landscape, the grey skirt with the red feather head band and bracelet might have been made for the location.

As we drove on and I saw this incredible wooden post and vintage post box at the side of the road (which I have always loved because they are so graphic). Grace again styled the clothes to perfectly to suit the environment and mood of the scene – she had a gift for creating miraculous styling and the limo was full of never ending outfits.

As the sun set and we were leaving Pennsylvania the light was fading so I had to use a tripod to photograph the beautiful old rural American barn (below). The scene reminded me of an Andrew Wythe painting (see below) that I had always adored and had influenced me so much in my own painting and into photography. I felt the extraordinary poetic beauty of the synchronicity of being in the same landscape he had viewed and which had inspired him and now inspired me.  When I was at Art School people were afraid to like Mr Wythe because his work was seen as being too photographic and not at all fashionable. What I loved about him is he did not care, he just stuck at what he loved, the clarity and simplicity of conveying the landscape with his superb technique as a painter. The first time I saw the painting Christinas World  I had a moment of deja vu,  it has always been a surrealistic and inspiring enigma to me. Homage to you Andrew Wythe an inspiring giant among the artists of America.

Christinas World (Andrew Wythe 1948)

• Clive Arrowsmith is shooting stunning images, staging exhibitions and is as passionate about photography as he was when he first pressed the shutter at The Paris Collections. He is available for global media opportunities related to his work and photography generally. SEE OUR  *Kickstarter Campaign for LIMITED EDITION PETER GABRIEL REFLECTIONS EXHIBITION CATALOGUE – HERE – Bespoke prints from Clive’s archive are also available by special request, for any enquiries  (email Eugenie here). Clive’s book Arrowsmith: Fashion, Beauty & Portraits is available hereand Lowry at Home: Salford 1966 is available here