Craig Mcdean

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Craig McDean stands as a titan in the world of fashion photography, with a portfolio that reads like a who’s who of luxury brands including Alexander McQueen, Chloé, Elie Saab, Alexander Wang, and J Brand. Since 2002, McDean has been a fixture in American Vogue, extending his talents to its international counterparts and other high-profile magazines such as Interview, Love, W, and AnOther. His celebrated black and white portraits capture the essence of industry icons and celebrities alike, earning him the prestigious ICP Infinity Award for fashion advertising in 2008.

Originating from Middlewich, UK, McDean’s initial career path was far from the glitz of fashion photography; he trained as a mechanic. It was through photographing friends that he discovered his passion for photography, leading him to study the subject at Blackpool & Fylde College of Further & Higher Education. Moving to London in 1989, McDean honed his craft under the mentorship of Nick Knight as an assistant and then as a picture editor for i-D, eventually branching out to freelance for The Face in 1991.

His career trajectory took a significant turn upon moving to New York in 1995, where he embarked on high-profile campaigns for Jil Sander. By 1997, Calvin Klein enlisted McDean for all nine of its forthcoming campaigns, solidifying his status within the fashion echelons. By 2007, McDean’s expertise and reputation in the industry saw him commanding fees upwards of $100,000 per day.

McDean’s bibliographic contributions include the publication of I Love Fast Cars in 1999 and Lifescapes in 2004, with his exploration into the world of sumo wrestling in Sumo, released in 2011, featured at the Half Gallery in New York. His latest literary endeavor, Manual, was launched in 2019. Residing in New York with his wife, Vogue contributing editor Tabitha Simmons, and their two children, McDean continues to shape the visual landscape of fashion photography with his innovative and iconic imagery.