Ellen von Unwerth
Fashion photographer and director
Ellen von Unwerth is a German fashion photographer and director who moved from modelling into photography and became known for playful, provocative images of women. Her breakthrough came with Guess campaigns featuring Claudia Schiffer from 1989, and she has since shot for Vogue, Vanity Fair and leading fashion houses.
| Role | Fashion photographer and director |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954, Frankfurt |
| Breakthrough | Guess campaign with Claudia Schiffer (1989) |
| Clients | Guess, Dior, Ralph Lauren, John Galliano |
| Books | Snaps, Couples, Wicked, Fräulein |
| Award | Royal Photographic Society award (2020) |
Who is Ellen von Unwerth?
Ellen von Unwerth, born in Frankfurt in 1954, is a photographer and director whose work spans fashion editorials, advertising campaigns, album covers and music videos. The Business of Fashion describes her signature as 'seductive, provocative women in playful scenarios'. She has described casting the women she photographs in active, empowered roles, and her images are recognisable for their energy, humour and sense of narrative.
Career
Von Unwerth worked as a model for several years, signed with Elite in Paris, before switching to photography. A camera given to her before a shoot in Kenya led her to photograph fellow models, and when those pictures were published, demand for her photography grew quickly.
Her breakthrough came in 1989 when she photographed Claudia Schiffer for Guess, the start of a relationship with the brand that lasted for decades. She has photographed campaigns for houses including Dior, Ralph Lauren and John Galliano, and her editorial work has appeared in Vogue, Vanity Fair, i-D, Interview and The Face. She was among the photographers championed by Franca Sozzani at Vogue Italia.
Her books include Snaps (1994), Couples (1998), Wicked (1999) and Fräulein (2009). She has shot album covers for artists including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Rihanna, and directed music videos. Retrospectives of her work were held at Fotografiska in Stockholm in 2018 and New York in 2019, and in 2020 she received the Royal Photographic Society's award for editorial, advertising and fashion photography.
Influence on the fashion business
Von Unwerth's work helped shift fashion advertising in the late 1980s and 1990s towards spontaneity and personality. Her contribution can be summarised as follows:
- Campaign imagery built on character and story, which helped turn models into brand faces
- A long term brand partnership with Guess that shaped its visual identity
- Crossovers between fashion, music and celebrity imagery
- A model of the photographer as a recognisable author across editorial and commercial work
She has also supported young talent: according to The Business of Fashion, the stylist Lotta Volkova received her first photo shoot commission from von Unwerth.
Why it matters
For fashion brands, von Unwerth's career shows how a distinctive photographic voice can define a brand's image over decades. Her work for Guess is a frequently cited example of campaign photography building brand recognition, and her move between fashion, music and art reflects the cross-media nature of contemporary fashion marketing.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Ellen von Unwerth?
Ellen von Unwerth is a German fashion photographer and director, born in Frankfurt in 1954, who began her career as a model. She is known for playful, provocative images of women for magazines and brands such as Guess.
What is Ellen von Unwerth known for?
She is best known for her Guess campaigns with Claudia Schiffer, which began in 1989, and for editorials in Vogue, Vanity Fair and i-D. She has also published books including Snaps, Wicked and Fräulein.