Emmanuel Gimeno is a contemporary artist and a photographer known for his work in fashion and fine art, which has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Depeche Mode, Spoon, Twill Magazine, among others.

Below, in this second part of his Q&A, he talks to Wonder Shuffle about his career in fashion photography.

So, after you started assisting, were you also going out on your own, or did that come later?

Yeah, it was a bit of both. While I was assisting, I was also working on my own projects. The photography world can be pretty small, so once you’re in touch with the right people, you start getting involved in those exclusive circles. You don’t just get handed the big jobs right away—you kind of have to earn your way by picking up the smaller opportunities first. All the assistants, young stylists, and makeup artists, we’d all meet up and work together, and that’s how you get your foot in the door. It’s all about connections.

And then, one of the bigger photographers or a fashion editor would pass along your work or recommend you to someone. That’s how you slowly build up a portfolio. The key is patience. But I had a bit of an issue—I was always too edgy. My work was dark, kind of sexual, and a little disturbing. Some people loved it, and others didn’t get it at all.

One art director even told me my photos were like what a “serial killer” would take, which was definitely weird but also kind of funny. He said my work was disturbing yet oddly sexy, and that I should just keep pushing that edge.

I started doing things like cutting negatives, really experimenting with the process, and that led to working with big names like Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire. That’s how I ended up in trend magazines.

What magazines did you work with, then?

I worked with a few, but Spoon magazine was the big one. It was

one of those magazines that was all about being experimental, you know? I also worked on Creme which was a beauty magazine that only lasted one or two issues, but I had total creative freedom with it, which was amazing.

It was kind of like those surrealist manifestos—one issue, then poof, gone. Every issue became a collector's edition because it was so strong. Twill, this edgy Italian magazine, gave me a platform to really push the envelope with my dramatic ideas. But Spoon was definitely a highlight.

I also got to do campaigns for brands like Issey Miyake and Lacroix. But the coolest part was working as a reporter for Liberation, a newspaper which gave me backstage access to fashion shows. That’s where I got some of my best shots—those behind-the-scenes moments that turned into iconic images. I’ve got thousands of photos from those days, and I’ve always wanted to turn them into a book.

One moment that stands out was when I was at a Jean-Louis Scherrer Haute Couture show. They were doing the final rehearsal, and the bride walking out in her dress looked like a futuristic angel / alien. It was right around the time The X-Files was huge, and the whole vibe just felt surreal. When the show started, it was packed with people, I wasn’t supposed to be backstage, so I had to sneak around. I hid behind a curtain until the end of the show and snapped the photo when the bride passed by. I got caught by security, but I managed to escape

with the film.

No one else had that shot—everyone else got pictures from the front, but I had the shot of the light coming through the back of the dress. It looked like she was landing from another world. Later, I showed the image to Scherrer's press office. They loved it, bought it from me, and turned it into a beautiful visual campaign.

It was such a satisfying moment because I captured something no one else could. That unique perspective is what made the shot stand out.

Do you still have that photo?

Oh yeah, definitely. It’s one of my favorites. I could probably sell it, but it’s such a significant piece for me personally, so I’m holding onto it for now.

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NEXT UP: AN ARTIST’S JOURNEY

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Emmanuel Gimeno is a contemporary artist and a photographer known for his work in fashion and fine art, which has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Depeche Mode, Spoon, Twill Magazine, among others.

Explore more of his works at https://emmanuelgimeno.com.

IMAGES

Emmanuel Gimeno - All rights reserved

Lead-In Image

Appearance, 1998

Back of Card Image

1. Portrait

2. Fragmenta. Lover’s arm, 2003

3. Fragmenta, Nude Heel, 2003

4. Creme Magazine, 2001 – Alenka

5. Spoon Magazine, 2000 – Ocean Drive

6. Twill Magazine, 2001 – I love New York