Fashion Deconstruction: Dovima with Elephants

The iconic image i have chosen to look at is "dovima with Elephants", byt Richard Avedon. The photo was taken in august 1955 as part of a shoot for Harpers bazaar, showing the new work of french designer, Christian Dior.

This image was vastly different to other fashion images at the time. The elephants are very important as they help to portray the idea these dresses are meant to show. They act as a comparisson, the elephants showing age, power and size, whilt the dress is new and elegant. This idea of elegance is emphasized by the choice of model. Dovima was considered one of the best fashion models of her time, and her style was perfect for the dress in the shoot.

The lighting bleaches the models skin white, contrasting heavily with the black dress. As the only pure white in the image is on the model, this is where your eye is drawn to.