Patrick Demarchelier, the French photographer who snapped some of the most iconic images of the late Princess Diana, died at the age of 78. The photographer’s representatives revealed his death on his official Instagram profile, confirming that he died on March 31. Demarchelier’s work shaped fashion for decades. Over the years, he has worked with a wide range of models, actors, and celebrities, including Princess Diana.
In 1989, the Princess of Wales phoned him after seeing one of his photographs on the cover of Vogue. Diana’s iconic black-and-white photograph in a strapless gown and tiara was shot during their first session the following year. Following that, the princess took a risk by commissioning Demarchelier to be her personal portraitist, becoming him the Royal Family’s first non-British official photographer.
Patrick Demarchelier’s biographical information
Patrick Demarchelier was born in Le Havre, France in 1943. He was born and reared in his hometown and developed his interest in photography at the age of 17. Demarchelier went to Paris at the age of 20, although he started his photographic career in the United States. Demarchelier worked as an assistant photographer in the United States for a while after moving there with a previous lover. During this time, he became interested in fashion photography.
He collaborated with well-known photographers and came to notoriety after capturing Princess Diana. His portraits of Princess Diana usually had a strange quality that emphasized the Princess’ laid-back demeanor. The photographer began a 12-year relationship with renowned media outlets Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar in the early 1990s.
He worked with a variety of well-known fashion brands throughout his time with them, including Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Zara, Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and others. His exceptional efforts landed him a cameo in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. The line “Get me, Patrick,” from the comedy-drama, was widely used.
Demarchelier was named an Officier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature) by the French Minister of Culture, Christine Albanel, in 2007 in recognition of his efforts. He was honored with a retrospective exhibition at Paris’s Le Petit Palais in 2008. In 2011, he released Dior Couture Patrick Demarchelier, a collection of his images of Dior Couture models dressed in haute couture gowns going back to 1947.
Several models have paid tribute to Patrick Demarchelier.
Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Cindy Crawford, and others paid homage to the late French photographer, who died on March 31 at the age of 78. Hadid shared a set of photos from her 2017 Vogue China session with model Chu Wong, which was taken by Patrick Demarchelier. The 25-year-old model expressed her thanks by describing him as the “most kind, most legendary, delicate yet full of energy.”
#BREAKING Patrick Demarchelier die today at the age of 78, the french iconic photographer work with princess Diana and took some of her most iconic portraits. May he Rest In Peace 💔#patrickdemarchelier #rip #princessdiana #princessofwales pic.twitter.com/vnCS7KZHlQ
— Eugenia Garavani (@eugeniagoficial) March 31, 2022
Hailey Bieber shared a photo of the couple cuddling on her Instagram stories. Emily Ratajkowski, the Gone Girl actress and model, shared a slew of images shot by the photographer in which she posed nude for Love Magazine. In the caption, she expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with Demarchelier.
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The 30-year-old wore a black leather gown in one of the photos. Cindy Crawford also shared numerous photos of herself, including one for Vogue Paris and another for Harper’s Bazaar, in which she donned a swimsuit. She complimented Patrick Demarchelier in the post for his “wonderful, timeless photographs.”
