 Clifford Coffin self photo portrait Clifford Coffin (June 18, 1913–March 2, 1972) was an American fashion photographer, particularly for Vogue magazine. He started working as photographer first in London. While working for Vogue UK, he was reclaimed to New York to work for Vogue USA. For over a decade after the Second World War, he produced some of Vogue's most impeccably elegant fashion pictures in London, Paris and New York.  Clifford Coffin photo for Glamour cover, 1945  Clifford Coffin photo for Vogue UK cover, 1948  Clifford Coffin for Vogue, 1949  Clifford Coffin's iconic photos of 4 models in swimming suits for Vogue, June 1, 1949  Vogue cover February 1951, featuring Jean Patchett, photo by Clifford Coffin  Vogue cover July 1951, featuring Jean Patchett, photo by Clifford Coffin  Vogue cover November 1951, photo by Clifford Coffin  Vogue cover Christmas issue, photo by Clifford Coffin Clifford Coffin was a perfectionist in his work. He was said to know more about fashion than his editors. In order to achieve the results he wanted, he often applied his models's make up and even managed their clothes and accessories.  ‘It is hard to think of Coffin with anything but admiration. The fashion world needs its eccentric heroes and if he had lived now he would certainly have been applauded for his flamboyant behaviour. He reduced models to tears, fashion editors to desperation and himself to exhaustion. But out of the chaos, Coffin took some undeniably great pictures.’ - ‘Flashback’, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, 1 June 1997. Photo by Clifford Coffin He was also an innovator. He sometimes used the light he called ring light, which he said was inspired by the lighting of the dentists, to create a special visual effect, making his photos look like surreal paintings.  Clifford Coffin's photo  Mary Jane Russell, 1950, photo by Clifford Coffin  Elsa Martinelli, Candy Tannev & Nancy Berg in Balenciaga, Vogue, July 1954, photo by Clifford Coffin Clifford Coffin has often been called "the greatest of Vogue magazine’s 'lost' photographers". But in his short career, he not only captured the essence of elegance, glamour and joy of living in the post war years in the most cosmopolitan cities across the world, but also helped promoted the careers of the super models of the era like Barbara Goalen, Wenda Rogerson(later married to photographer Norman Parkinson, Clifford Coffin's greatest rival at the time), Suzy Parker, and discovered Elsa Martinelli, the Italian actress and model. He was not, however, enamored with Audrey Hepburn while working with her in Paris. He called her "fat", a word that can hardly described the forever too slim British actress.  Wenda Parkinson in evening gown by Rahvis, April 15, 1947, photo by Clifford Coffin, London.  Wenda Parkinson in evening gown by Christian Dior, 1948, photo by Clifford Coffin.  Barbara Goalen for Christion Dior, 1948, photo by Clifford Coffin  Barbara Goalen for Christion Dior, 1948, photo by Clifford Coffin  Suzy Parker, 1952, photo by Clifford Coffin  Suzy Parker, 1953, photo by Clifford Coffin  Elsa Martinelli in Givenchy, Vogue July 1954, photo by Clifford Coffin  Elsa Martinelli in Givenchy, Vogue 1954, photo by Clifford Coffin Other than fashion photographer, Clifford Coffin was also a great photo portraitist who photographed many subjects for Vogue's 'Spotlight' pages, including Christian Dior, Lucian Freud, Gloria Swanson, Lady Diana Cooper, Gore Vidal, Ernest Hemingway,  Christian Dior, Paris, c. February 1947, photo by Clifford Coffin  Lucian Freud, London, 18 March 1947, photo by Clifford Coffin  Vivien Leigh (1913-67), London, 19 December 1947, photo by Clifford Coffin  Lady Diana Cooper (Viscountess Norwich 1892-1986) Paris, May 1948, photo by Clifford Coffin  Gore Vidal, Paris, 17 February 1949, photo by Clifford Coffin Clifford Coffin was known for his eccentricity, he was called an "outspoken homosexual with a heroic appetite for self-destruction, his bad behaviour was legendary".
Coffin suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, and died of throat cancer in Pasadena, California, in 1972, aged 58. In 1997, London's National Portrait Gallery paid tribute to the photographer by mounting the exhibition: Clifford Coffin: The Varnished Truth – Photographs from Vogue 1945 to 1955. Comments are closed.
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