One of Steve McCurry's portraits for Etnia's Wild Love in Africa campaign

Steve McCurry goes wild in Africa

The legendary photographer takes Etnia sunglasses on a South African safari for its summer campaign

If you had to single out one beautiful body part within all of photographer Steve McCurry’s wide and varied work, it would probably be the irises of Sharbat Gula, better known as the Afghan Girl, the refugee McCurry photographed so memorably back in 1984.

Perhaps it’s fitting then, that, among the highlights of his recent commercial work, is a campaign for Etnia Barcelona, the Spanish sunglasses company.

 

Another portrait by Steve McCurry for Etnia's campaign
Another portrait by Steve McCurry for Etnia's campaign

The firm has worked with fine artists and photographers in the past, including Nobuyoshi Araki and the estate of Yves Klein. In McCurry’s case, Etnia commissioned the photographer to shoot images for its new Wild Love in Africa collection. Rather than opt for a typical models-in-the-savannah sort of set-up, McCurry and co. travelled to a small town four hours north of Johannesburg, to meet with a guy called Johannes, a local painter. “Enchanted with the experience and the wisdom reflected in Johannes’ face,” Etnia explain, “we let Steve have free rein to express his art. An incredible experience that is transmitted in the collection and which we love sharing with you.”

 

Steve with one of his models
Steve with one of his models

It’s a great collection of images, and a refreshing take on portraiture more generally. See more here, and for more on Steve McCurry, take a look at all the wonderful books we’ve published with him. And for greater insight into how fashion works, body-part by body-part, take a look at our great book, The Anatomy of Fashion.