A Tale of Fashion Romance, Behind and in Front of the Lens

In Snap, we explore the impact of individual photographs, sharing stories about the creation of both contemporary and historical images. The photograph in question is a striking black and white portrait of a woman in a vintage nightgown, with the long, white, and frilly gown billowing behind her as she stands in a field of tall grass.

Former American Vogue creative director Grace Coddington is captured in a photo, gazing off camera as fashion photographer and film director Willie Christie works behind the scenes. The image is part of a collection of previously unreleased shots taken in the 1970s, a time that marked the beginning of Christie's career and the peak of their romance. These photos are featured in Christie's new book, "A Very Distinctive Style: Then & Now," which showcases his personal archives and collaborations with iconic rock n roll stars such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and others.

Here, Coddington and Christie take different, playful approaches to posing for a photographer, at a charity fashion show held at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1973.

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A fashion industry meet cute

Christie and Coddington first crossed paths in the early 1970s during an assignment for British Vogue. At the time, Christie worked as an assistant to the highly sought-after fashion photographer Clive Arrowsmith, while Coddington was a junior fashion editor for the publication. According to Coddington's foreword in Christie's book, they found themselves sharing a hotel room during the assignment due to budget constraints. With only two rooms available and Arrowsmith sharing one with his girlfriend, Coddington and Christie awkwardly navigated the space, trying to respect each other's privacy while getting ready for the shoot.

They didn't have their first date until a few years later. Coddington needed a plus-one for a charity ball and had two tickets. Christie was the only man with a tuxedo that she and her assistant, Patricia McRoberts (Christie's ex-girlfriend), knew at the time. They moved in together just a few weeks later.

This unflattering portrayal of female identity has struck a chord for over forty years. Christie recalls his initial experience capturing Coddington's image during a shoot for the London newspaper "The Evening Standard" in 1973. The publication had sought to feature Coddington in an article, to which she acquiesced only on the condition that Christie be the photographer.

Christie confessed to CNN that he felt extremely nervous before the shoot, despite living together. The thought of photographing her for the first time filled him with anxiety, fearing it could jeopardize their relationship if it didn't go well. However, the shoot turned out to be a huge success, leading to a strong partnership between Coddington and Christie. They began collaborating on personal and editorial photoshoots, with Coddington styling and Christie visualizing. Christie described Coddington as his "perfect collaborator" and "first muse."

Their initial partnership with Vogue occurred in 1974, when they produced a photo shoot capturing a 1940s nightclub ambiance. The model Marie Helvin was posed as a cabaret singer, elegantly adorned in a selection of stunning evening dresses. Notably, the pianist accompanying her was none other than the hairstylist for the shoot, attired in a white Saint Laurent suit from Christies' own wardrobe.

recounts in his book how Grace had a specific outfit in mind and how he, with ambitions to be a Hollywood film director, envisioned the entire nightclub scene for his debut Vogue shoot. "Grace guided me towards this simplified version," he writes.

Romantic Moments Caught on Film

Coddington reminisced about the weekends the couple often spent at Christie's mother's house in Wantage, England, a peaceful respite from the busy city life of London. One memorable time, just before Christmas in 1975, they ventured into the Berkshire Downs. Coddington in her vintage dress and wide-brimmed hat, Christie carrying his camera, a Honda generator, and a single studio light.

Coddington's image in the field was a manifestation of Christie's desire to narrate a love story reminiscent of classic black-and-white films like "Wuthering Heights". He aimed to capture the desolate and lonely beauty of "The Moors and the hills" and subvert gender stereotypes by portraying women as rejected and men as foul. The dream-like photo challenges traditional notions of the male gaze.

Next to Coddington, there is a rustic wooden signpost that Christie quickly built to enhance the vintage aesthetic and storytelling of the piece. The single studio light illuminates Coddington, while stormy British clouds in the background add a dramatic touch. Christie expressed that there is a sense of longing in the piece, as romance involves both gaining and losing. Relationships form and then break apart, and unrequited love also plays a role.

Coddington and Christie tied the knot in 1976, in a "beautiful seaside wedding in Derval, France," Christie recalled. Unfortunately, they went their separate ways in 1978, leaving Coddington "devastated," she confessed. Christie had shifted his focus to his film career, dedicating himself to shooting commercials, directing music videos, and writing screenplays, and there was another woman involved, Christie confessed.

Coddington and Vogue's Anna Wintour sit front row at Zac Posen's Fall-Winter 2010 runway show at New York Fashion Week.

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Coddington relocated to the United States to work for Calvin Klein before becoming the creative director of American Vogue in 1988. She is currently married to her partner Didier Maligein. In 1991, Christie married his partner Amanda Nimmo and they have two children together. What makes this morning-after portrait of Faye Dunaway an iconic Hollywood moment?

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ACC Art Books

Despite now being based in England, Christie still makes time to visit Coddington during his trips to New York. On October 19, the pair spoke about Christie's new book at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

"Well, I was by you," Christie replied.