ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The Savannah College of Art and Design proudly presents London-based artist Robert Fairer’s debut solo exhibition, Backstage Pass: Dior, Galliano, Jacobs, and McQueen, at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film, opening Oct. 13. Curated from the acclaimed photographer’s extensive archives, the exhibition features more than 100 stunning, high-energy, backstage photographs from the most iconic runway shows and collections by the house of Dior, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen during what is considered the “Golden Age of Fashion,” an era of artistic zenith in runway show production from the late 1990s to early 2010s.
Fairer is widely celebrated in the industry for his finesse and talent, coupled with gentlemanly charm. His innate ability to form trusted bonds with fashion’s most esteemed creatives and personalities is reflected in his mesmerizing photographs. In the late 1990s, Fairer had the foresight to go behind the curtain at a time when backstage photography was in its infancy, and introduced a new, exclusive perspective on the way runway shows were seen, chronicling womenswear collections off-stage for American Vogue for more than a decade.
Designed as both a visual and aural experience, Backstage Pass re-creates the glamour, spirit, and frenetic allure behind the scenes of runway shows. The exhibition presents Fairer’s evocative, candid shots of supermodels Mariacarla Boscono, Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Karen Elson, Shalom Harlow, Chanel Iman, Kate Moss, and Alek Wek being made runway-ready by legendary makeup artists Pat McGrath and Val Garland, hair stylists Julien D’Ys and Orlando Pita, and famed milliners Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones. The exhibition offers an intimate look at the rarified world of backstage photography and a captivating record of a bygone era.
Backstage Pass showcases Fairer’s prolific body of work and personal archive of more than 1 million photographs, the largest collection of its kind in the world, accumulated over a career spanning almost three decades. In recent years, working in close collaboration with his wife, Vanessa, Fairer has preserved this time capsule of photography, leading to the Unseen book series from Thames & Hudson. The SCAD FASH exhibition showcases many images never before seen.
“Robert Fairer is one of the foremost photographers of our time, and it is an honor to celebrate his unique eye, style, and point of view captured from a rare vantage point in fashion history,” said Gomes, director of fashion exhibitions at SCAD FASH. “This exhibition represents a living history of his work designed to inspire SCAD students, alumni, and museum guests, opening their eyes to Robert’s creative genius chronicling one of fashion’s most enthralling eras.”
SCAD students from top-ranked degree programs, including photography, fashion, advertising, luxury and brand management, business of beauty and fragrance, and graphic design, will have the opportunity to interact with the artist through virtual exhibition tours, conversations, and other future programming. Fairer’s exhibition will be fêted as a highlight of Atlanta Celebrates Photography 2021, celebrating both this exciting exhibition and ACP’s cultivation of the photographic arts to enrich the Atlanta art community.
Backstage Pass is on view at SCAD FASH, Oct. 13, 2021, through April 16, 2022.
About Robert Fairer
“I am absolutely thrilled to show my first solo exhibition at SCAD FASH, curated by Rafael Gomes. My collection of fashion and beauty behind-the-scenes photography is something that must be shared with new generations, hopefully to witness and gain understanding of the past, inspire in the present day, and help us to learn lessons for the future.”
After finishing university in the early 1990s, London-based fashion photographer Robert Fairer began shooting runway collections in London and Paris, swiftly moving behind the scenes in 1994 to an undiscovered and enticingly new world of unseen fashion hair and beauty imagery, documenting the work of designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander “Lee” McQueen, and John Galliano. In the early 2000s, Fairer was commissioned by American Vogue to cover the international fashion scene. For more than a decade he collaborated with editors Sally Singer, Hamish Bowles, André Leon Talley, Sarah Mower, and editor-in-chief Anna Wintour to capture defining moments in fashion history. His photographs have been published by Thames & Hudson in a series of monographs: Alexander McQueen: Unseen (2016); John Galliano: Unseen (2017); Marc Jacobs: Unseen (2018); John Galliano for Dior: Unseen (2019); and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel: Unseen (forthcoming).
Fairer and his wife, Vanessa, continue to work on new book titles for the Unseen series, covering what is now considered to be the Golden Age of Fashion. Their unique relationship with publisher Thames & Hudson enables them to continue publishing the series and other landmark book projects for many years to come, breathing new life into one of the most impressive fashion archives in existence. While Vanessa develops ideas crucial to the survival of any photography archive, Robert works hard on innovative approaches to rebranding fashion post-pandemic for several luxury fashion brands. His commercial work continues to flourish, with new projects always on the horizon.
SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film
SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film celebrates fashion as a universal language, garments as important conduits of identity, and film as an immersive and memorable medium of popular culture. Situated within SCAD Atlanta, the museum presents dynamic exhibitions, captivating films, and enticing events that mine the rich and storied legacies of fashion history to inspire contemporary designers and future innovations. Supported by the university’s strong global presence and connections to renowned contemporary fashion designers, filmmakers, and creative professionals around the world, SCAD FASH is an integral part of the SCAD educational experience.
Like the award-winning SCAD Museum of Art, SCAD FASH serves as a creative resource for students of all ages and a wellspring of inspiration for visitors. Through programming that engages the university’s broad array of academic disciplines, SCAD FASH offers diverse exhibitions, films, installations, performances, and events to enliven and inspire the greater community year-round. Each program is designed to engage and appeal to visitors with varied backgrounds and interests, from textiles and jewelry to photography and film. Past exhibitions have featured the work of designers Ruth E. Carter, Azzedine Alaïa, Pierre Cardin, Carolina Herrera, Mary Katrantzou, Guo Pei, and Oscar de la Renta. Photographic exhibitions have featured the work of Albert Watson, Jonathan Becker, Bill Cunningham, and Omar Victor Diop. Exhibitions are accompanied by curated film series that complement programming. Past films include Pierre Cardin: Le Futur, The First Monday in May, Funny Face, The Leopard, and Ovation for Oscar, among others.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 academic degree programs across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow.
SCAD enrolls 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The innovative SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and other advanced learning resources, and affords students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. In 2020, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD as the No. 1 university in the U.S. and in the top two universities in the Americas and Europe for the fourth consecutive year. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. In a recent study, 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.