Peter Lindbergh, Fashion Photographer, Has Died

Legendary fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh has died at the age of 74. News of his death was officially announced via his Instagram account. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Lindbergh on September 3rd 2019, at the age of 74. He is survived by his wife Petra, his first wife Astrid, his four sons Benjamin, Jeremy, Simon, Joseph, and seven grandchildren. He leaves a big void.”

Lindbergh was a favorite photographer of top fashion publications like Vogue and actually shot Anna Wintour's first cover as editor-in-chief of the magazine in 1988, where she paired a bedazzled Christian Lacroix jacket with blue jeans and made a splash in the fashion industry. Wintour memorialized the photographer after news of his death saying, "How devastating to learn that we have lost Peter, a generous, lovely bear of a man, who as much as any photographer, defined how we see fashion in our modern era. What I loved most about his work was how empowering it was, how he believed in evoking strength and self-assuredness in women, and capturing their natural beauty without adornment. There was no one quite like him, and he will be dearly missed.“

Lindbergh most recently shot the cover portraits for Meghan Markle's special issue "Forces for Change" issue of British Vogue, and the Duchess posted a tribute to the photographer on her official Instagram account, writing, "His work is revered globally for capturing the essence of a subject and promoting healthy ideals of beauty, eschewing photoshopping, and preferring natural beauty with minimal makeup. The Duchess of Sussex had worked with Peter in the past and personally chose him to shoot the 15 women on the cover for the September issue of British Vogue, which she guest edited. There is no other photographer she considered to bring this meaningful project to life."

Model Kaia Gerber also paid tribute to the photographer on Instagram, writing, "My heart is heavy today. Thank you for everything you taught me. An irreplaceable light in everyone’s life. Rest easy, Peter." Former Teen Vogue editor Eva Chen also posted Instagram Stories honoring Lindbergh, writing that his work inspired her. "If you love fashion, you have to know its history too," she wrote. "RIP to an icon. I never got to work with him (trust me I tried), but his work shaped my view of fashion forever."

Besides fashion photography, Lindbergh also shot movie posters, directed iconic fragrance commercials like Dior's J'Adore featuring Charlize Theron, and shot the cover of Beyoncé’s album I Am ... Sasha Fierce. He shot short films for the New York City Ballet and in 1991, shot a movie called Models: The Film featuring '90s Supermodels Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, and Tatjana Patitz.

Peter Lindbergh's impact on the fashion world was monumental, and his work will never be forgotten.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue