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Ellen von Unwerth, Michele Hicks, Esther Cañadas and Jan Dunning for Vogue Italia Editorial "All That Time" (1997) - Inspired by original 18th-Century portraits of the former French queen, Marie Antoinette, and the French court by  Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun.

John Galliano, Christian Dior Haute Couture, Fall 1997.

Often rooted in exploring femininity, Unwerth's inspiration for the shoot came from the 18th-Century French court. Through Galliano's designs, brightly coloured wigs and bold, defining makeup, the photos seem to recreate the sheer extravagance of the Rococo period through the eye of a modern lens.

Image descriptions:

(Lower right) Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Marie Antoinette with a Rose, 1783 - Ten years before she was executed in the Place de la Révolution in Paris, France.

(Lower left) Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait in a straw hat, 1782.

Ellen von Unwerth, Esther Cañadas (1997)

Individual style

Though she began her career in front of the lens rather than behind it, Unwerth's true breakthrough came in 1989 when she photographed Claudia Schiffer for Elle Germany.

Suddenly thrown into the world of high-fashion magazines, Unwerth found a way to combine both the professionalism of editorial photography with her own energetic flair, often capturing her subjects in moments of unfiltered happiness. Not only did the freedom in these portraits reflect Unwerth's personal style, it also challenged traditional notions of women in photography; encouraging freedom and confidence.

Alongside embracing femininity, Unwerth pushes tradition further, choosing to celebrate eroticism, a usually taboo subject - creating images that are sensual without being exploitative. Instead, making them both playful and empowering to the models, her and the audience.

Image descriptions in order:

(Top left) Ellen von Unwerth, Warm Bath, Claudia Schiffer, LEI for Elle Germany, 1989. Part of the image has been redacted to comply with Tumblr guidelines.

(Top right) Ellen von Unwerth, Sarabeth in Window, Rouilly le Bas, France, 2002. Used for Unwerth's book Fräulein. Part of the image has been redacted to comply with Tumblr guidelines.

(Middle image) Ellen von Unwerth, Unknown model, Paris, 2005.

Steven Klein, Alexandra Agoston-O'Connor for Vogue Italia Editorial "Portraits of Women" (2007) - Inspired by the 1908 portrait: Marchesa Luisa Casati with a Greyhound by Giovanni Boldini.

John Galliano, Christian Dior Haute Couture, Fall 2007.

The eccentric style of Marchesa served as a key inspiration and reference point for Galliano's Fall 2007 collection alongside Boldini's portrait.

Continuing relevance in the industry

Even after her death in 1957, Casati's eccentric style continues to inspire many designers, photographers, editors and artists, including the late Karl Lagerfeld who created a series of both sketches and photographs of former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris Carine Roitfeld styled as the Italian heiress.

Image descriptions in order:

(top left) Casati in her "Queen of the night" costume designed by infamous fashion house: House of Worth, 1922.

(top right) Giovanni Boldini, "Portrait of Marchesa with a Greyhound", 1908.