Conversation – Irving Penn: Behind the Scenes of His Fashion Photography
Thu 12 November 2026 19-20h - Book!

On the occasion of Paris Photo and the exhibition PENN & FASHION, the MEP invites you to a conversation with Vasilios Zatse, Deputy Director of The Irving Penn Foundation and a close collaborator of the photographer for 13 years, and Julien d’Ys, hair artist and stylist who worked alongside him.

How did Irving Penn create his photographs? Beyond the technical mastery and precision that define his work, his photographs were shaped by an ongoing dialogue with his collaborators. This conversation offers a closer look at his creative process through the experiences of two people who worked alongside him and helped bring his images to life.

During his 13 years alongside Penn, Vasilios Zatse was involved in all aspects of the photographer’s creative work, from editorial assignments to advertising campaigns. Under Penn’s direct supervision, he also made gelatin silver and platinum-palladium prints in the photographer’s private darkroom.