The Facts
On October 1, 2026, Pace Gallery announced the exhibition "Penn & Fashion" at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris, running from September 30, 2026 to January 17, 2027. The show is a tribute to Irving Penn, one of the 20th century's most influential photographers, tracing his fashion career from 1947 to 2008. It features his work for Vogue, including images of haute couture by Dior and Balenciaga, collaborations with Issey Miyake, and later portraits of designers like John Galliano and Christian Lacroix. The exhibition draws primarily from MEP's collections and the Nicola Erni collection, with loans from The Irving Penn Foundation and the Miyake Issey Foundation, and is curated by Pascal Hoël in collaboration with Frédérique Dolivet.
The Signal
The exhibition signals the sustained institutional and market interest in Irving Penn's fashion photography, which seamlessly merged art, commerce, and editorial work. For collectors, the show underscores the importance of the Nicola Erni collection as a benchmark for fashion photography, while the chronological presentation from 1947 to 2008 reinforces Penn's legacy as a master of composition and technique. It positions Penn's oeuvre as a cornerstone of modern photography, with his vintage prints continuing to command strong prices at auction and in private sales.
- Artists: Irving Penn
- People: Pascal Hoël, Frédérique Dolivet, Nicola Erni
- Galleries: Pace Gallery
- Museums: MEP (Maison Européenne de la Photographie)
- Locations: Paris
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