Celebrity fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier dies at 78
The photographer shot to fame after being the first non-British person to officially snap the royal family, but his later years were dogged by sexual harassment charges. Here as some of his iconic pictures.
Death at 78 years
Demarchelier's family announced his death on his Instagram page saying, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Patrick Demarchelier on March 31st 2022." "He is survived by his wife Mia, his three sons Gustaf, Arthur, Victor and three grandchildren," the post added. The photographer is originally from Le Havre, in the Normandy region of France.
A self-taught photographer
Demarchelier had never planned on becoming a photographer. "I didn’t think about a career. I didn’t plan it. It came to me," he told the fashion magazine Vogue in 2015. Although Demarchier was taking pictures for Vogue since 1977, it wasn't until he took a picture of Princess Diana in 1989 that he shot to fame for becoming the first French photographer of the royal family.
Snapping up the supermodels
Beginning with Madonna, who he photographed for Vogue in 1989, Demarchelier collaborated with many celebrities, including Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss (seen in this picture). Following the announcement of his passing, Crawford wrote in an Instagram post: "Rest In Peace, @patrickdemarchelier. Thanks for so many great memories and beautiful, timeless images."
Photographing celebrities
Demarchelier enjoyed a long period of collaboration with Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. Here, he is seen at an exhibition of his photograph in Berlin in 2014. The image in the background shows model Christy Turlington.
Beyonce sells Pepsi
In 2013, the photographer worked with US singer Beyonce on a pop-art project showcasing Pepsi. Beyonce, who has worked with Demarchelier many times, wrote a small dedication for him on her homepage. "Rest in paradise, Patrick Demarchelier," it said.
Rubbing shoulders with the famous
In 2007, Demarchier was honored with the "officier dans l’ordre des arts et des lettres" title by the French government. He also received a mention in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada," starring Meryl Streep and made a cameo in "Sex and the City." Here he can be seen with the German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld
Dogged by complaints
Following the #MeToo campaign in 2018, Demarchelier also faced accusations of sexual misconduct. The Boston Globe published an expose in which seven women accused him of sexually harassing them. One of his photo assistants had also reportedly written to Vogue chief editor Anna Wintour about "relentless advances" by the photographer when she was a 19-year-old intern.