A Unique Inside Look at the Work of Patrick Demarchelier

IN MEMORY — Renowned French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier passed away last month. We honor his legacy by asking some of his Swedish friends and collaborators about their memories, including a unique inside look at his studio in Manhattan.

WORDS: KONRAD OLSSON, PHOTOGRAPHY: STEFAN ANDERSSON

When it was announced on his Instagram page on 31 March 2022 that Patrick Demarchelier had passed away, the internet was flooded with tribute messages. It seemed like the entire fashion industry had a heartfelt story to tell about the french fashion photographer's generosity and sharp eye for details, illustrated with one or more of his iconic photographs from six decades of work.

One of the people that worked closely with Demarchelier on several productions was Swedish make-up artist Birgitte Reiss-Andersen.

“Patrick was a larger-than-life character”, Birgitte remembers. ”He looked like a French pirate, loved the good things in life, and had an absolutely wicked sense of humor. He always appeared relaxed no matter what was happening around him.”

“He looked like a French pirate, loved the good things in life, and had an absolutely wicked sense of humor.” — BIRGITTE REISS-ANDERSEN

Birgitte worked with Patrick for well over thirty years, for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar magazines as well as Chanel, Revlon, and other major brands. She says it’s impossible to choose a favorite shot, except for one.

“I needed a headshot so I asked him if he would mind taking one after a day’s work. He said ok, and I started planning with his assistants that maybe we should do a roll of color and one of black and white. When he got on set, he just mumbled, pointed the camera at me, made me laugh, took two Polaroids, and declared we were done. It was so abrupt I got completely paranoid that I had done something wrong or perhaps offended him. It absolutely tortured me until a couple of days later I received a beautiful print that was done from the negative of the polaroid. It’s the best picture anyone has ever taken of me because I look completely present and unguarded. Quintessential Patrick.”

Personally, I remembered an interview I published during my tenure as editor-in-chief of Plaza Magazine, written by Martin Gelin and photographed by Stefan Andersson. In hearing about his passing, I reached out to Stefan and asked if we could publish the photographs again in Picture This.

“Patrick was in a good mood that day”, Stefan remembers. ”He was very generous with his time, showed me his archive and several of his favorite shots”

The photoshoot took place in Demarchelier’s studio in Manhattan’s Chelsea district, on a beautiful sunny day in 2013. Stefan's wife, the stylist Angelina Jolin, was part of the production.

“Like all the big french photographers he never really learned to speak English very well. I think it was somehow charming to have that strong french accent when working with the American fashion industry”, says Angelina. ”In 2013, Patrick was already ill with cancer, but on the day of our shoot, he was in good spirits. He showed us his books, and at one point his son Victor came by. Patrick was very happy about his grandchildren.”

Angelina Jolin together with Patrick Demarchelier.

Birgitte Reiss-Andersen also testifies about Patrick’s relaxed ways, especially in the studio.

“He always made sure the atmosphere in the studio was relaxed and cheerful. He was easily bored so he kept a very, very fast pace when shooting. You could never think ’I’ll fix that issue on the next round’ because there often was no such thing. He often got the picture he wanted in ten frames! Critics who didn’t know better accused him of being too simple which can be mistaken for ’easy’. They didn’t understand he had a laser-focused eye and he could immediately see what was working or not.”

In speaking about Patrick’s personality, Birgitte highlights his mumbling way of speaking, which disarmed both presidents, princesses, and supermodels alike.

“Personally, I think it was a bit of a secret weapon because no matter who you were, you were forced to drop your guard in order to focus on him. It was perhaps less obvious that he was a master politician who knew how to navigate the shark-infested waters of fashion and high-end advertising. Under his jovial laissez-faire attitude, he could see right through people and play their game. Everyone liked working with Patrick. The models knew he would make them look beautiful, we would all had fun, got a fantastic lunch, and would be done by five. And if we all took too long to change the model between shots, we would find him watching a game of basketball or soccer on a TV in the other part of the studio.”

“Like all the big french photographers he never really learned to speak English very well. I think it was somehow charming to have that strong french accent when working with the American fashion industry” — ANGELINA JOLIN

Angelina Jolin, who has extended experience working in the New York fashion scene, was good friends with Patrick’s Swedish wife Mia. The two families often met at St Barths, where Patrick had a second home. “The last time we saw each other, I was visiting him on St Barths and he made us breakfast, a classic French omelet. I know he could be very demanding, but I always found him generous and interested. I love that last memory of him, it was so intimate.”