Bert Stern was one of the most gifted fashion photographers of the 20th century. He built a career photographing some of the biggest names in entertainment and modeling, including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Twiggy. His photographs didn’t just show clothing — they captured personality, emotion, and mood in a way that set him apart from his peers.
Stern left school at 16 to follow his passion for visual art. He broke into the industry in 1949 as a photographer for Look Magazine. After two years, he shifted to the role of art director at Mayfair Magazine. From there, his career expanded rapidly. He contributed to Vogue, Glamour, and Esquire, and created advertising campaigns for international brands including Pepsi-Cola. He also brought conceptual art thinking into commercial photography, which was a fresh and bold approach at the time.
Sandra Peterson in green wool tweed suit, 1960
Stern’s early work for Glamour in 1960 showed his ability to make structured, tailored fashion feel alive and expressive. His models weren’t posed stiffly — they had presence. The clothing became part of a larger story rather than just the subject of the frame.
Model wearing long, white sheath in crepe of rayon and acetate with white sequins sewn all over by Rappi, Inc, Glamour 1960
Fashion Model wearing collarless tweed coat in wool with cord buttons, Georges Kaplan opossum fur ruff with sequined sheath of silk chiffon beneath by Anne Fogarty, Glamour 1960
Fashion Model looking over shoulder wearing blue dress which has a V shaped back, Glamour 1960
By 1961, Stern was working extensively with Vogue, photographing models and notable figures in carefully composed scenes. His work from this period ranged from beachside sportswear to high-end jewels and fur-trimmed evening wear. He photographed New York City Ballet dancer Allegra Kent for Vogue that year — Kent was also his wife at the time.
Model Dorothea McGowan wearing curved velvet toque in deep purple, Vogue 1961NYC Ballet dancer, Allegra Kent wearing a hostess pajama of black silk velvet pants with a white silk top printed with pink and red roses, Vogue 1961
Stern’s personal life was complicated. His heavy use of amphetamines strained and ultimately ended his marriage to Allegra Kent. Despite this, his professional output during the early 1960s remained prolific and highly influential in both fashion and advertising circles.
Model wearing a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace of canary diamonds, Vogue 1961
Model wearing red hooded cashmere cardigan and marine blue shorts, Vogue 1961
Fashion model, Vogue 1961
Fashion Model standing on beach wearing orange knit poncho by Geist and Geist, over yellow bikini, Vogue 1961Model Kyra wearing mohair sweaters, slipover and cardigan, Glamour 1961Model wearing green-tea wool suit with lemon colored silk twill overblouse, tied at the waist, Vogue 1961Fashion model in a ball gown of pink organza and gold lurex-striped with matching stole, Glamour 1961Model wearing satin overblouse with sequins and silk chiffon, Glamour 1961Three models in the same bathing suit in different colors, Vogue 1961
In 1962, Stern photographed two of Hollywood’s most iconic figures. He shot Italian actress Claudia Cardinale for Vogue and captured Elizabeth Taylor in full Cleopatra costume — a role Taylor was filming that same year. That session produced one of the most recognizable celebrity portraits of the decade.
Italian actress Claudia Cardinale, Vogue 1962
Fashion model Dorothea McGowan, in cloche of pink satin, Vogue 1962
Elizabeth Taylor dressed as Cleopatra, Vogue 1962
Also in 1962, Stern photographed Marilyn Monroe in what became known as “The Last Sitting” — a session in Beverly Hills that took place just weeks before her death. It remains one of the most famous photo shoots in the history of celebrity photography.
Marilyn Monroe wearing a fur hat and shawl, in Beverly Hills, California, 1962
Stern’s work for Vogue in 1963 showed his range. He moved between sharp tailored suits, delicate lace, and elegant evening wear with equal skill. That year, he also photographed Audrey Hepburn — one of the most elegant sittings of her career. Hepburn’s poise and Stern’s eye for light and composition made the images stand out from standard fashion spreads.
Model wearing knubby linen, ivory and carmel suit, with white blouse, Vogue 1963Fashion model wearing wool suede cloth suit in indigo blue, with white silk crepe scarf, white gloves and white felt fedora, Vogue 1963Model wearing navy blue, sleeveless dress, Vogue 1963Model wearing black tweed double breasted skirt suit, Vogue 1963Model wearing white ‘peplum of lace’ on white sleeveless dress, Vogue 1963Model wearing grey pinstripe skirt suit by Talmack, with white pique blouse, Vogue 1963Model wearing tawny linen, short sleeve dress, Vogue 1963
Model wearing black and white Tattersall dress, with yellow hat, Vogue 1963
Model wearing skirt suit in pale apricot boucle, Vogue 1963
Audrey Hepburn covering portion of face with fabric from her sleeveless dress of silk, Vogue 1963Audrey Hepburn wearing a strapless yellow silk evening dress, Vogue 1963Model Wilhelmina in blue and turquoise wool tweed suit, Vogue 1963Model in chalk white tweed Ben Zuckerman suit, ivory Viola Weinberger gloves, Vogue 1963Fashion model holding jeweled bird made-up of precious and semi-precious stones, Vogu 1963
By 1964, Stern was photographing some of the most sought-after models in the world, including Jean Shrimpton and Suzy Parker. He balanced editorial elegance with a natural, relaxed energy that made his subjects look confident rather than stiff. His compositions were clean but never cold.
Fashion model wearing double breasted coat in putty beige melton, by Originala, with white textured tights, Vogue 1964Model wearing pink skirt suit with double breasted jacket, Vogue 1964
Model Jean Shrimpton wearing trouser ensemble in shades of beige, with coat, trousers, and tie neck top, Vogue 1964
Model Wilhelmina with pink Lilly Dache scarf around head and white lace dress, Vogue 1964
Model Wilhelmina in Dior hat of fabric anemones, Vogue 1964Suzy Parker in Tom Jones shirt by Jax and yellow Jax pants, Vogue 1964Model wearing lite blue two piece skirt ensemble with cowl neck and pleated skirt, Vogue 1964Model wearing strapless dress with feathered bodice in pink, orange, Vogue 1964
From 1965 onward, Stern pushed further into creative territory. He produced a four-part series for Vogue built around the seasons, using elaborate makeup, headdresses, and theatrical styling to represent autumn, summer, and winter. Around this time, model Marisa Berenson became a frequent subject in his work, appearing in a wide range of editorial spreads. He also photographed Israeli actress Daliah Lavi and French actress Jeanne Moreau, demonstrating his reach beyond the American fashion world.
Model stands with her hand touching her face wearing many bracelets and pearls, Vogue 1965Fashion model from series of beauty shots based on the four seasons, here for autumn 1965, with elaborate feather headdress, covered up eyebrows, and heavy lashes, Vogue 1965Fashion model from series of beauty shots based on the four seasons, here for summer 1965, Vogue 1965Fashion model from series of beauty shots based on the four seasons, here for winter 1965, a la Madame Butterfly, with white face, Vogue 1965Model in a Violet Raincoat, Vogue1965Model in a pale pink nail enamel, and eye make-up with pale blue eye liner and heavy black lashes, Vogue 1965Israeli actress Daliah Lavi stands in Thai Dance pose, wearing Rudi Gernreich’s white jacket, Vogue 1965Model Marisa Berenson, hair pulled back tightly, wearing a turquoise tank top and turquoise half moon eye glasses, Vogue 1965Israeli actress and model Daliah Lavi kneeling on beach, wearing voluminous peignoir green with white polka dots, Vogue 1965Actress Claudia Cardinale wearing a Paisley-print pajama set, Vogue 1965Model, Marisa Berenson, with three Pucci velveteen handbags over her shoulder, in a sleeveless yellow dress, Vogue 1965Model wearing an azure blue dirndl suit with cockleshell buttons on a small double breasted jacket, Vogue 1965Model Marisa Berenson wearing a long blue evening dress with a bell skirt, Vogue 1965Model Veruschka wearing a David Kidd for Jablow mink-lined wool suit with a moire belted top and Amrose hat, Vogue 1965Model and actress Marisa Berenson in a Jacques Tiffeau for Tiffeau & Busch wool smock coat, Vogue 1965Model wearing a Harold Levine blue satin coat and crystal jeweled yellow full-length dress, Vogue 1965Model Marisa Berenson in a Adele Simpson gown and shawl with Schreiner jewelry, Vogue 1965Model Veruschka wears a Branell cotton velveteen satin dress with Pakula necklaces and Aris gloves, Vogue 1965French actress Jeanne Moreau wearing a chiffon gown, Vogue 1965
In 1966, Stern continued shooting for Vogue with the same energy. Models like Marisa Berenson, Veruschka, and Lauren Hutton appeared in his work alongside lavish fur coats, sequined gowns, and bold geometric cuts. The images from this period reflect the shifting style of the mid-1960s — bolder colors, more daring silhouettes, and a growing appetite for dramatic visual statements. Stern died on June 26, 2013, in Manhattan, New York City, at the age of 83.
Model Marisa Berenson wearing copper-colored sequin dress, Vogue 1966Model wearing green wool belted coat, Vogue 1966Model Marisa Berenson wearing red and pink bias-cut dress, 1966Model sporting floor-length hairpiece wearing sleeveless jagged-hem dress, Vogue 1966Model wearing tomato-colored linen dress with geometric neckline, 1966Model wearing orange high-yoked linen dress from Lynn Stuart , Vogue 1966Model wearing striped ruffled jibba by Fernando Sanchez for Warners, Vogue 1966Model wearing gold brocade burnoose with tasselled hood from the Mediterranean Collection, Vogue 1966Model Birgitta af Klercker in a purple silk dress with a cut-out neckline, Vogue 1966Model sporting floor-length hairpiece wearing white sleeveless handkerchief, Vogue 1966Actress Claudia Cardinale wearing pale brown mink coat laced with white mink diagonals, Vogue 1966Model wearing full-length mink coat by Maximilian over white evening pyjamas, Vogue 1966Mode in diamond and emerald jewels, Vogue 1966Model Lauren Hutton wearing black satin cossack’s blouse by Lynn Stuart for Mister Pants, Vogue 1966Fashion model in natural golden Russian sable coat, Vogue 1966
