Marisa Berenson: A Life In Pictures - Review

Nicknamed “The Girl of the Seventies” by Yves Saint Laurent, model and actress Marisa Berenson has been in front of the camera since the day of her christening (1947) which was captured for the pages of Vogue magazine. Granddaughter of fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, Marisa Berenson’s recently released photographic journey through the many decades –  Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures is a book full of endless images of capturing the fashions of previous eras and in each one revealing why cameras loved her so effortlessly. 

With her large doe eyes and gregariously engaging grin, she captures both men and women’s attention. Mentored by the talented Vogue editor Diane Vreeland at a young age as she learned of her photogenic potential, she earned a handful of covers for Vogue and the cover of TIME in December 1975. Successful on screen as well, she appeared in Cabaret directed by Bob Fosse, Black Heart with Clint Eastwood and others.

With an introduction by European editor-at-large for American Vogue Hamish Bowles and a conversation with her close friend fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, Marisa also reveals glimpses into her life from childhood into her many modeling experiences as she traveled the globe.

With only a handful of pages dedicated to text, the rest of the book is overflowing with images taken on set, for photo shoots, about town and at events taken by leading photographers such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, David Bailey, Hiro, Helmut Newton, Steven Meisel and others. I’ve included just a small sampling of what you will find when you open the book, but what amazed me was how consistently chic and stylish she was no matter what her age.

Certainly a beautiful book to give as a gift or to place in her library, click here to purchase.

With Diane Vreeland

Images: (2)James Karales (3)Steven Meisel