David Bailey or ‘Big Bad Bailey’ as he was affectionately known, was a poster child for the Swinging ’60s, his promiscuity well-documented (and decried). But when he wasn’t pissing off feminists and grumbling in print, the artist from East London (who was already shooting American fashion covers at 26) captured celebrities – John Lennon, Jean Shrimpton (Bailey’s then girlfriend), Catherine Deneuve (his second wife), The Beatles, Mick Jagger – in a way that made them near-mythical. Though he’s renowned for his black-and-whites, the 76-year-old photographer’s life and work have been nothing but colourful.
On money: “I go to work every day, and that’s no way to make money. To get rich, you have to be making money while you’re asleep.” – The Independent, 1998
On women: “It was a bit of fun, really. I got used, they got used. I had a terrible time in the ’70s with all those silly feminists.” – Living The Life, 2012
On age: “My biggest disappointment? I hate getting old. All that bollocks about the golden age.” – The Guardian, 2013
Bailey's Stardust is on till June 1, 2014 at The National Portrait Gallery, London.
Mick Jagger, 1964 (picture above)
Click through the gallery above for more
By ELLE team March 6th, 2014
