Behind the scenes of paradise: the photographer has been shooting Victoria's Secret "angels" for 20 years
55-year-old Australian photographer Russell James has been photographing what is happening behind the scenes of the annual Victoria's Secret underwear fashion shows for 20 years. This man caught more than 300 famous "angels" of the brand, including Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Bella Hadid, Miranda Kerr and Kendall Jenner. He encouraged the models before going on the runway, and some of the girls said that the show with Russell was the best moment of their career for them. That's exactly who knows all the secrets of Victoria!
The Victoria's Secret brand hired Russell 20 years ago to give its campaigns a more cutting-edge and fashionable look. The photographer is known for the innovative concept of shooting backstage, which he described as "creating a delicate atmosphere for girls."
The photographer's new book with his most exciting pictures is called "Backstage Secrets: Ten Years Behind the Scenes of the Victoria's Secret fashion show." The publisher put Miranda Kerr on the cover. "The cover with Miranda speaks for itself. This is a secret world where we can briefly look through the window once a year," says the photographer.
James explained to reporters that among his favorite photos in the book are Gisele Bundchen, Doutzen Kroes and Taylor Hill: "They all mean so much to me. Giselle, who performed at a new level of fashion. The shot of Doutzen looking between the dancers' legs always made me smile, and seeing Taylor Hill's first show was really cool."
The photographer also called the words that models most often utter behind the scene: "I'm so nervous." "I usually answer this: "Don't worry, every girl here is worried no less. It's OK to wait.“ That's why many models told me after the show that it was the best day of their career."
One of the main things that inspired Russell's book is the "incredible evolution" of the show. "Hardly anyone thought that all this would grow to the largest fashion show on earth. It's really a modern cultural phenomenon."
The photographer believes that "new talented people who come to this very small and specific family often need encouragement and education." He says: "Even the most famous models can be scared to go on the podium for the first time. It will be better for everyone if there is a team spirit and a common goal behind the scenes."
James can't choose from all the shows over the years one, the most favorite. But he admitted that the 2014 show in London "was incredible" and he didn't think anything could beat this show. "Then there was a show in Paris in the Grand Palace, and how can it be surpassed? It was only the Shanghai show that succeeded, which became, perhaps, an example of the most ambitious cultural cooperation in fashion," the photographer said.
James says that each participant of the show is rightfully a star: "Some of them are well-known, and some are just gaining weight, but still, in these few days of the road, rehearsals, photo shoots and, in the end, the show itself, teamwork is most important."
James believes that he has a special relationship with Victoria's Secret: "In 1996, I shot the cover of Sports Illustrated with Tyra Banks and an editorial spread with Stephanie Seymour for the Italian Elle, which attracted the attention of Victoria's Secret marketing director Ed Razek. He gave me a huge credit of trust, which was built over the years. You're as good in this business as your photos are. That's why I approach every shoot for Victoria's Secret as if it's my first."
Since Russell is a freelance photographer, in parallel he worked with Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, with major fashion brands like Rolex, Revlon, Reebok, Evian, Mercedes Benz and so on.
Keywords: "angels" Victoria's Secret | Victoria's Secret | Books | Models | Fashion show | Photographers