Juergen Teller
Fashion and fine art photographer
Juergen Teller is a German photographer based in London whose raw, direct and often humorous images have shaped fashion advertising since the 1990s. He is known for long collaborations with Marc Jacobs, Céline, Saint Laurent and Vivienne Westwood and for blurring the line between commercial and fine art photography.
| Profession | Fashion and fine art photographer |
|---|---|
| Based in | London since 1986 |
| Born | 1964, Erlangen, Germany |
| Key client | Marc Jacobs, since 1997 |
| Awards | Citibank Prize 2003, ICP Infinity Award 2018 |
Who is Juergen Teller?
Juergen Teller is a photographer born in Erlangen, Germany, in 1964. He has worked in London since 1986 and is one of the most influential fashion photographers of his generation, known for a direct, unpolished and personal style that rejects conventional glamour.
Career
Teller studied photography at the Bayerische Staatslehranstalt für Photographie in Munich from 1984 to 1986 and then moved to London. He emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, photographing musicians and fashion stories, and in 1996 attracted wide attention with a cover for the Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin featuring the model Kristen McMenamy.
His commercial work includes a long collaboration with Marc Jacobs that began in 1997, including campaigns for the Daisy fragrance, as well as work for Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Céline, Vivienne Westwood and a 2011 Missoni campaign featuring members of the Missoni family. From 2014 to 2019 he was professor of photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg.
Influence on the fashion business
Teller's approach changed the visual language of luxury advertising. His contribution to the industry includes:
- Campaigns that place designer clothes in everyday, unstaged settings
- Casting celebrities and artists in unexpected, often humorous scenarios
- A personal, diaristic style that blurs commissioned and personal work
- Showing that luxury brands can build authority through imperfection
His work has received major recognition, including the Citibank Prize for Photography in 2003 and the International Center of Photography's Infinity Award in 2018. In 2023 a large exhibition of his work was held at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris. His career illustrates how a photographer can move between magazines, advertising and museums while keeping a single, recognisable voice, which has made him a sought after collaborator for designers who want a distinctive brand image.
Why it matters
Many brands now favour images that look candid and personal rather than polished, a style closely associated with social media. Teller's work anticipated that shift by decades. His campaigns show that a strong, consistent photographic voice can be as important to a brand's identity as its logo, and that collaborations between designers and photographers can define a house's image over many seasons.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Juergen Teller?
Juergen Teller is a German photographer based in London. He is known for raw, direct fashion photography and long collaborations with brands such as Marc Jacobs, Céline, Saint Laurent and Vivienne Westwood.
What is Juergen Teller's style?
His style is direct and unpolished, mixing fashion, celebrity and personal subjects. It rejects conventional glamour and blurs the line between commissioned and personal work.