In 1965, Harper’s Bazaar published a fashion spread unlike anything readers had seen before. Photographer Melvin Sokolsky had suspended models in mid-air above the streets of Paris, capturing them in flowing gowns as though gravity simply didn’t apply.
Sokolsky was not a conventional fashion photographer. He constantly pushed for new ways to present clothing and models on camera. His “Fly” series came directly from that drive — a deliberate break from studio backdrops and posed standing shots.
To pull it off, Sokolsky built an elaborate rigging system of wires and pulleys. Each model was carefully suspended at height, held aloft by the mechanism while Sokolsky shot from below or at eye level.
Paris was chosen deliberately. The Eiffel Tower, the Seine, the rooftops and busy street markets all gave the images depth and a sense of real place. The models weren’t floating in a void — they were soaring over a living, recognizable city.
The resulting photographs show models drifting past café awnings, above crowded markets, and alongside Parisian rooftops. Their hair, accessories, and garments remain perfectly composed — adding to the illusion of effortless, weightless elegance.
Each shot required precise coordination between the rigging crew and Sokolsky behind the lens. The technical demands were significant, but the finished images show none of that strain — only the clean, serene spectacle of a woman suspended above Paris.
