“We had lots of great times together. Neil was great fun to travel with. I travelled far and wide with him, from Sri Lanka to Key West. He could be difficult at times with a warped sense of humour that definitely appealed to me. I remember being in Hemingway’s bar in Key West [Sloppy Joe’s Bar] with Neil and the very wonderful Anne Boyd [fashion editor, The Observer]. There was a severe rain downpour and we were up to our knees in water, drinking margaritas. All in a day’s work. I loved my adventures with Neil. One of my first and favourite covers was for Honey magazine, November 1983 [above]. As far as I can remember, it was shot on a beach in The Hamptons. We had run out of clothes, so we used what I was wearing—my father’s old sweatshirt and my favourite white shirt. The sun was going down. Bang. Bang. Bang. Done. I still love it.”
Jeny Howorth, model, Neil Kirk in Vogue: The Supermodel Years
This new photo book featuring the work of Neil Kirk in 80s and 90s Vogue (plus a few other publications) is a gem. I consider him the English Arthur Elgort with his impossibly glamorous lifestyle shots of leaping leggy models in timeless 80s attire. Yes it’s unapologetically nostalgic but the familiarity (if you’re a certain age) is comforting.
We all (well, I) remember that exhilarating feeling of aspiration just beyond your grasp; the sense that you could maybe be Yasmin, Jeni or Yasmeen living your best life in an Armani skirt suit, wide-striding across a New York avenue in 4-inch heels while casually flagging a cab, glancing behind you as the wind whips your hair, always in a girl-about-town hurry.
The book combines full bleed fashion shoots with spreads of Polaroids, celebrity portraits and fantastic anecdotes from a cast of fashion royalty. I love Jeny’s story of improvising on the styling front. So very 80s and so very Jeny. The book is co-authored by Vivienne Kirk (Mrs Neil) and Iain R Webb and it’s available here* and here. Read more here.
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: Neil Kirk in Vogue: The Supermodel Years
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here.
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