Michel Haddi – Beyond Fashion | Part Two

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From 16th January to 16th March 2024, 29 ARTS IN PROGRESS gallery is delighted to
announce the second part of the evolving exhibition entitled ‘MICHEL HADDI: BEYOND
FASHION’, the first major solo show in Milan by French-Algerian photographer Michel Haddi.
The second exhibition phase will allow the public as well as collectors to grasp the essence
of Haddi’s work in his rather unusual shots packed with a street vibe and an urban soul but
also with a sense of irony and sensuality that highlight the Artist’s multifaceted personality.
On display are the most exemplary images of a career spanning more than 40 years, part of
an endless archive of famous faces, top models, icons and legends from the worlds of music
and art. From David Bowie to Debbie Harry, from Djimon Hounsou to John Galliano, including
shots of Nicholas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker, to name but a few.
In order to pay tribute to such a vast line-up of photos, the second exhibition phase will present
the public not only with nudes and unpublished shots, but also evocative, brightly-coloured
pictures packed with Nineties tropical American atmospheres, often linked to certain
emblematic advertising campaigns created by Haddi for international brands such as
Versace, Chanel, Armani and Yves Saint-Laurent.
In the countless faces portrayed by Haddi, he has succeeded in capturing the spirit of his time
through the celebrities who have populated the history of fashion, film and music. His take is
intimate, personal and unconventional, just like much of his career, which is a far cry from
that of a classic fashion photographer: having survived a troubled childhood, during which
he clung to his dream of becoming a photographer, Haddi has dedicated his life to illustrating
some of the key players in the historical and cultural changes of the last Century with a rare
ability to capture, and then successfully replicate, the deepest essence of his subjects.
Haddi, which literally translates from the Semitic language as ‘the one who sees’, has
succeeded in the difficult task of
seeing, precisely, the true nature of the subjects who posed
for him in front of his lens – actors, models or ordinary people – and to replicate their image,
at times ironically and at other profoundly: all his photographs have a story to tell because
they are authentic pictures, which play with the most common human emotions and, precisely
for this reason, become indelible.
The second phase of the exhibition will open to the public on Tuesday, 16th January 2024 at
the gallery in Via San Vittore 13 in Milan and will be animated by an exciting two-day event,
entitled “Be A Legend”, a real live shoot with Michel Haddi.
MICHEL HADDI: BEYOND FASHION
Michel Haddi (Paris, 1956)
Born in 1956 in Paris to a French Soldier he never knew and an Algerian Muslim mother, Michel
Haddi had a turbulent childhood, moving between foster homes until the age of six; eventually, he
ended up at the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul Orphanage in Paris. During this time, Haddi’s mother
brought him copies of Vogue which fascinated him throughout his childhood, looking at the photos of
great photographers. Piqued by a particular shot by Helmut Newton, Haddi aspired to leave Paris
and become a photographer while working in a famous restaurant where he met personalities from
the world of fashion and many stars.
In 1970, after a journey that took him by way of Saudi Arabia, Michel began assisting various
photographers. Once back in London, he met his lifelong mentor Victor Herbert who set him on the
path to success. In 1980 Haddi opened his first studio and then began collaborating with famous
magazines such as American GQ, Jardin des Modes, and British Vogue. In 1981, Haddi was
commissioned by Vogue Hommes for a ten-page photoshoot, which resulted in a long and fruitful
collaboration that took him to Italy, where in 1985 he met Franca Sozzani (then Editor-in-Chief of
Vogue Italia until 2016), Editor of Lei and Per Lui, who asked Haddi to join her team. Michel Haddi
began his many travels as collaborations with The Face, GQ, The Sunday Times, Tatler, British Vogue,
and many more renowned publications developed. From 1989 on, he moved around New York, Los
Angeles, Paris, London, and Milan working for more than 30 years as one of the leading
photographers in fashion.
Michel Haddi’s editorial collaborations include the most important magazines in Europe, Asia, and
the USA: Italian Vogue, Italian Glamour, Uomo Vogue, French Vogue, Vogue Hommes, British Vogue,
Mademoiselle, Tatler, GQ, Allure, Vanity Fair, The Face, Arena, Interview, Details, Rolling Stone,
Vibe, Elle, Premiere, Stern, The Sunday Times, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie
Claire Germany are among them. He photographed advertising campaigns for Armani, Yves Saint-
Laurent, Emilio Pucci, Lancetti, Replay, Lee Jeans, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Guerlain,
and many others. While living in the USA, he met and photographed many high-profile celebrities
including, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, David Bowie, Uma Thurman, Francis Ford Coppola,
Cameron Diaz, Faye Dunaway, Nicholas Cage, Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Angelina Jolie, Janet
Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and many others, capturing intimate moments and the essence of all those he
shot. A photographer and film director, Haddi is currently based in London where he also manages a
publishing house, MHS publishing, which publishes his own books.
29 ARTS IN PROGRESS gallery
29 ARTS IN PROGRESS is a leading art photography gallery located in the historic area of
Sant’Ambrogio, Milan. The gallery represents the work of internationally renowned photographers,
with a focus on portraiture and fashion photography. Since its inception, the gallery has curated
exhibitions in partnership with public and private museums including V&A Museum; Hong Kong Arts
Centre; Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow; Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art, Saint Petersburg;
Palazzo Reale, Palazzo Pirelli and Triennale in Milan, Museum of Cultures in Lugano and Nicola Erni
Collection in Steinhausen, Switzerland.