Michael Thompson

In his first book, photographer Michael Thompson offers a grand, almost fantastical vision of fashion, glamour, and style. A compelling yet enigmatic sequence of radiant images—plucked from his fashion spreads, portrait shoots, and personal projects—unfolds across these pages, transcending the original commissions to form a dreamlike narrative. Thompson, with editor Dennis Freedman, presents a surrealistic high-concept exploration of the theme of seeing with one's eyes closed, even as he seduces us with his photographic craftsmanship. Invoking a pantheon of sources, references, and inspirations—from Vermeer, Man Ray, and Jean Cocteau to Kubrick and Coppola—Thompson has turned the cool, austere style for which he is known upside down to reveal its lush, dark underpinnings. This deluxe volume brings together Thompson's alluring photographs of some of the world's most celebrated subjects and beautiful models, including Claudia Schiffer, Sting, Kate Moss, and Britney Spears. The book reveals as never before the versatile and inventive vision of this stellar photographer.