Mix & Match: Fashion Photography Meets Contemporary Art

A Dive into Fashion Photography

Mix & Match opens a window into the private collection of Nicola Erni, which spans more than 6,000 works. The book presents a selection that blends fine art photography with candid paparazzi shots, capturing moments of cultural transformation in the 1960s and 1970s. Erni’s eye gravitates toward images that reflect the spirit of art, music, fashion, and film, tracing vibrant scenes from Rome and New York to the elegance of St. Moritz.

The book begins with Nicola Erni’s words, a collector’s statement that frames her vision with warmth and clarity. She reflects on fashion photography as a meeting ground for contemporary art, design, and pop culture. In this space, photographers often collaborate with artists from other fields, enriching their images with new layers of meaning.

From there, the book unfolds as a visual journey through fashion and street style photography, spanning from the 1930s to today. It sets fashion photography alongside contemporary art, not as an accessory but as an equal partner in dialogue. Through this juxtaposition, the book affirms the genre’s rightful place within the broader art world.

Inside the Pages

As with many of Phaidon’s most notable publications, the book includes essays by leading voices in the art world. Contributions come from figures such as Max Hollein, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; Fabrice Hergott, Director of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; and Valentina Frutig, Senior Collection Manager of the Nicola Erni Collection in Switzerland. Their reflections frame the collection with scholarly insight, preparing readers for the 12 thematic chapters that follow. These sections trace the evolution of fashion photography and the rise of street style, revealing how each moment shaped visual culture across decades.

Covering themes that range from the early years of fashion photography to Dior’s groundbreaking New Look, and from the birth of street style to contemporary expressions of sex and provocation, Mix & Match unfolds as a vivid chronicle of cultural transformation. More than a survey of images, it stands as a playful yet serious testament to shifting social values. As an art book, it offers both beauty and insight, rewarding anyone who wishes to explore society through the intertwined lenses of fashion and art.

Mix & Match: Fashion Photography Meets Contemporary Art is released on September 10th, but you can pre-order it now through Phaidon.