FASHION & FANTASY
Alexander McQueen with a cigarette-smoking skull; Tilda Swinton under an arch of pastel roses; Jennifer Lawrence dressed to match an albino peacock in a flamboyant feather dress. Many of Tim Walker’s images are so iconic, you’ve probably seen them already without realising he’s the photographer behind them all. One of the world’s most influential fashion and portrait photographers of the last 25 years, he’s known for his often fantastical style, described as ‘magical realism’ by i-D Magazine.
Now, the photographer’s work is the centre of a largescale exhibition at London’s V&A museum. Consisting of a retrospective of 100 archival works, spanning commissions from the likes of Vogue, W Magazine, i-D Magazine and more, the exhibition also includes a set of new works inspired by works housed at the V&A. The photographs are displayed alongside the objects they’re based on, in room sets created by Shona Heath, Tim Walker’s long-time set design collaborator. As reported by The Guardian: “Think a burned-out cathedral or an opulent country house — so you will feel like you have stumbled into one of Walker’s photographs.” This image was inspired by a 16th century painting of Hindu gods Krishna and Indra. Model Radhika Nair wears a vibrant, glittery ensemble captured in a field in Worcester. While it’s possible to see a selection of Tim Walker’s work in magazines and on the internet (not Instagram though, unusually the photographer doesn’t have an account), we’d jump at the chance to see such a large exhibition from one of the few photographers in fashion whose work captures the imagination and seamlessly blends fantasy with reality, so if you’re heading over there, don’t miss it.