Before the rise of household names like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, there was Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn – a Swedish beauty who epitomized the elegant hauteur of the golden age of couture. The post-war boom propelled couturiers to fame, but models largely remained anonymous figures, living mannequins upon which designers and photographers projected their artistic visions. In a now-iconic statement, Fonssagrives-Penn famously declared to *Time* magazine in 1949, “I’m just a good clothes hanger.” This seemingly modest remark, juxtaposed against later supermodel pronouncements like Linda Evangelista’s infamous “We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day,” highlights the vast shift in the industry’s power dynamics and the evolution of the model’s role.
The *Time* article, whose subtitle intriguingly asked, “Do illusions also sell refrigerators?”, focused on Fonssagrives-Penn’s remarkable success, quantifying it in terms of her impressive hourly rate. Models, after all, are tasked with bringing the fantasy of fashion to life—both physically and emotionally. This duality is a recurring theme in *Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn: Fashion Icon*, a captivating book published by SKIRA that originated from an exhibition at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris. The book showcases a treasure trove of personal photographs from her estate, a gift from her son, Tom Penn, to the museum.
Many of these images, while perhaps familiar variations on Vogue and other publication shots, provide a new and intimate look at the model’s work. However, the lesser-known photographs from the 1930s, taken by her first husband, Fernand Fonssagrives, are particularly compelling, showcasing the breadth and dynamism of her expressive range of movement. Born as Lisa Bernstone, she hailed from an artistic Swedish family, eventually pursuing photography, sculpture, and even fashion design throughout her long and remarkable career.
Fonssagrives-Penn’s journey into modeling began with dance. After studying dance in Berlin, she returned home and continued to hone her skills independently. A pivotal moment arrived when Astrid Malmborg, a Swedish choreographer, invited her to participate in a Paris competition, leading to recognition and ultimately, her decision to remain in the City of Lights. There, she met and married Fernand Fonssagrives, a fellow dancer. When his back injury ended his dancing career, she gifted him a camera, unwittingly beginning her own meteoric rise in the world of fashion photography. A chance encounter with the German fashion photographer, Wally Maywald, led to her introduction to Vogue.
Recalling her early days, Fonssagrives-Penn described her initial experience with Horst P. Horst: “They asked me to do a test with Horst, and I arrived terrified. I had never seen a fashion magazine; I didn’t know what fashion was. After that test with Horst, I went straight to the Louvre and studied how differently dressed people did different things.” This anecdote highlights her dedication and professionalism. She further explained her meticulous approach: “I was terribly serious about being responsible and even studied photography to learn what the problems might be. I would stand before the camera on a set and concentrate my energy until I could sense it radiate into the lens and feel the photographer had the picture. It was very hard work!” This dedication, her profound understanding of the artistic process, benefited not only her career but also the legacy of fashion photography itself.
During a shoot for Vogue’s 1947 “Twelve Most Photographed Models” portrait, she met Irving Penn, whom she married three years later. Together, they created some of fashion’s most timeless and iconic images, solidifying her place not only as a groundbreaking model but also as a significant contributor to the evolution of fashion photography and the overall image of the modern woman.
