William Wegman: Fashion Photographs Book

Photographer and film-maker William Wegman has been snapping doggies for two decades. The first was his Weimaraner Man Ray, in his Man's Best Friend, which catapulted Mr Ray to stardom ("Man of the Year" 1982 in The Village Voice, no less). But when Wegman acquired a lady-dog, in the form of Fay Ray, he started to look at the canine form in a totally different way. As potential fashion victim. Fay's ensuing dynasty--children Battina (Batty), Crooky and Chundo, and grandson Chip--has provided Wegman with plenty of fur to cover and (as he would have it) a new set of personalities to bring out. Wegman's photographs--85 here, 79 in luscious colour--are undeniably beautiful. Clad in Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino, Issey Miyake, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Valentino and Armani, the doggies stare out pensively, meaningfully, morosely, flirtatiously. Each photograph is meticulously posed, masterfully constructed and only fleetingly comical. Because there's more to this than dogs in frocks (and/or accessories). Often Wegman gives us only the dog's head, or a paw, or even a single ear peeking out of the haute-couture, unsettling our perceptions of both poochie and Gucci. Sometimes he creates a new life form: human arms but a dog's face. What's bizarre about his work is that, by the end of the book, it seems only natural that a dog should wear a hat or glasses or stilettos--but then, as Wegman points out wisely, his dogs are "covered in grey--and grey, everyone knows, goes with anything".--Alan StewartRead More