Steven Meisel, flanked my Madonna on the left and supermodel Naomi Campbell on the right.
Legendary fashion photographer Steven Meisel has always been captivated by beauty. Growing up, a young Meisel would sketch women, using fashion magazines as inspiration and developing an attraction to models that would continue throughout his life. Living in New York City, Meisel has said that he would spot models on the streets and snap photos with an old camera he carried. This may have been his first foray into fashion photography, but Meisel's career actually began as a fashion illustrator. He worked at Women's Wear Daily and for designer Halston in the '70s after studying the subject at Parsons the New School for Design. It wasn't until the '80s that Meisel actively pursued his passion for photography, but once he did, he quickly became iconic, known for his affinity to connect with the models and visualize and execute scenes that reflect societal issues. In 1992, Meisel collaborated with Madonna to create the notorious book Sex, effortlessly pushing boundaries. Meisel has also photographed every cover and lead editorial for Italian Vogue over the past 20-plus years — an accomplishment that is unheard of in today's competitive landscape — and his work has appeared in American Vogue as well as many high-end fashion ad campaigns, such as those for Lanvin, Prada and Versace. Meisel's career is somewhat of a fashion fairy tale: a true talent creating the beauty he has adored throughout his entire life.