Avedon and Seymour

I can’t get past Richard Avedon’s description of model Stephanie Seymour. “She has something the others don’t have. She has humanity. Once I shot her while she was lifting her skirt, and underneath she was naked. It was a strange image. She’s not puritanical, but neither is she seductive. She’s not offering anything, just affirming herself. That’s why Stephanie interests me.”*

Such a nice compliment. Not conventional flattery. More real. From an artist who made his living perceiving--through the lens. I take it as advice: be your special self. Trust.

But Stephanie Seymour developed her freedom over time. At first she was shy and anxious as a photographer’s model. Avedon brought her out by teaching her to create a character and to live in it. She began to see the possibilities.**

Lingerie could be your secret collaborator, your Avedon. No need to go commando into a challenging world. Seymour could do so. Mere mortals, beware. Beautiful underthings are magic. With a little wink, they set you on a road of self-discovery and promise. Wink back, and say “Cheese!”

-Kate L

*The Versace Legend by Minnie Gastel, 2008

**Stephanie Seymour by Interview, published August 12, 2013

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