Some fashion images remain recognisable long after the clothes themselves have disappeared from the shops. That has a lot to do with the way fashion photography creates an entire world around what we wear.

A successful fashion photograph brings several elements together. The clothes are important, but so are the location, lighting, models, hair, make-up and the way everyone is positioned in front of the camera. Change one of those elements and the same dress can communicate something completely different.

Group photographs are particularly interesting. Instead of concentrating on one model or one outfit, they allow different personalities, silhouettes and styles to appear together. The eye moves around the image and discovers something different each time.

Fashion magazines and campaigns have used this approach particularly well. An elaborate interior, a hotel room, a beach or a city street can become as important to the final image as the fashion itself. It is one reason photography has played such an important role in creating the visual identity of designers, magazines and different fashion eras.

Today we consume far more fashion imagery and much of it is created quickly for digital platforms. Yet carefully constructed editorial photography still stands out.

For me, these images are also a reminder of why visual storytelling remains such an important part of publishing. A photograph can introduce the subject before a single line of an article has been read.

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