ca. 1963

Melvin Sokolsky was born in 1933 in New York City. At the age of 21, Sokolsky was invited by
prolific art director, Henry Wolf, to join the staff of Harper’s Bazaar in New York and over the
years added Esquire, McCalls, Newsweek, and Show magazines to his growing list of editorial
clients. Often cited as one of the great editorial fashion photographers of our time, it was his
iconic “fashion bubbles” that captivated the fashion world. In 1962, he took inspiration from
the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch and photographed models floating above bemused
residents of Paris inside of a clear plastic bubble. Sokolsky's innovative Bubble Series
anticipated the change of language that was to later emerge in fashion photography, combining
surrealism and the world of high fashion, with a nod to street photography's increasing
popularity. This series is widely credited for launching the trend of bold, artistic visions within
fashion photography and has been an inspiration for many fashion photographers working
today. The images graced the pages of Harper’s with great fanfare and remain some of the
most influential fashion images ever produced. That same year, Melvin photographed the
entire editorial content of McCall’s, the first time this had been attempted or accomplished.
Certificate: Included