A SLICE OF BIG APPLE FASHION
In The Isaac Mizrahi Pictures, New York City 1989-93, photographer Nick Waplington takes photos from behind the scenes of Mizrahi’s bustling early ’90s NYC studio, juxtaposing them with scenes from the celebrated, underground dance clubs of that era.
CAPTURING CREATIVITY
Two years after presenting his first collection to Bergdorf Goodman’s, in the summer of 1989, Isaac Mizrahi met photographer Nick Waplington through renowned lens man Richard Avedon. Over the next few years, Waplington observed a designer at his creative peak, taking in quiet moments, such as this one, of inspiration inside Mizrahi’s SoHo fashion house.
NEW YORK MINUTE
In a flash, a fresh-faced partygoer is caught surprised among the throngs of dancers inside an NYC nightclub. Foregoing captions throughout the book, Waplington allows the reader to prescribe personas to the models and club kids alike, some faces dripping in notoriety, others unrecognizable, like the beauty seen here.
IN FASHION
Two stylishly adorned club boys, with arms draped around each other, are caught in a moment while a backpack-wearing photographer weaves through the crowd. Everything from the beaded jewels, sheer top, denim jacket and Jansport knapsack are quintessential early ’90s attire, all of which are being resurrected in today’s fashion scene.
MODEL PAUSE
In what looks to be the tense moments before a model heads out onto the catwalk, Anh Duong sports a thick, black cat eye and well-defined brow, while wearing a green-and-white Mizrahi creation.
SHEER GENIUS
Two blond models, with big curls, pink lipstick and draw-on eyebrows, stand backstage pre-show, wearing sheer white dress shirts over white lace bras, paired with high-waisted black skirts. In true ’80s fashion, both girls are wearing big, opulent jewels.
BACKSTAGE BRAVO
In celebration of a show well-done (the designer was a critical success very early on), model Veronica Webb, who seems to be in agony while taking off her tiara, is among a crowd of leggy ladies congratulating Mizrahi backstage, capturing a huge moment in the young creator’s career.