Guy Hepner Gallery

Michel Comte Yves, Saint Laurent, W Magazine For Sale

Michel Comte
Michel Comte - Yves, Saint Laurent, W Magazine, 1992, Digital c print

Yves, Saint Laurent, W Magazine, 1992

Digital c print

26 x 26 inches / 66 x 66 cm- Edition of 20 - 50% sold 36 x 36 inches / 91 x 91 cm - Edition of 7 47 x 47 inches / 120 x 120 cm- Edition of 3 69 x 60 inches / 175 x 175 cm - Edition of 1

About this work

This striking portrait captures the legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent in an intimate moment of creative contemplation. Comte's masterful use of natural lighting and shadow creates a dramatic chiaroscuro effect that emphasizes Saint Laurent's distinctive profile and expressive hands. The square format and refined tonal range of the digital c-print give the image a timeless quality, while the close framing establishes an unusual proximity to one of fashion's most influential figures. Originally commissioned for W Magazine, the photograph transcends editorial photography to become a powerful character study. Created during a pivotal moment in fashion history, this work represents both Comte's exceptional ability to capture cultural icons and the enduring legacy of Saint Laurent himself. The photograph is offered in four edition sizes, providing collectors with flexibility in scale and investment level. With half of the twenty-print edition already acquired, this piece demonstrates strong collector interest while remaining accessible to discerning buyers seeking museum-quality photography that documents fashion's golden era. Available for purchase — enquire for price and availability.

Guide Price: $12,052 – $36,677

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More series by Michel Comte

About the Fashion Icons Series

Explore Michel Comte's Fashion Icons series, a celebrated collection capturing the golden era of 1990s celebrity and haute couture photography. Comte, born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1954, initially trained in art restoration — working with contemporary pieces by artists including Andy Warhol and Yves Klein — before entering photography in the late 1970s after Karl Lagerfeld gave him his first major commission. That launch propelled Comte into a decades-long career shooting for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Interview, establishing him as one of the defining fashion photographers of his generation.

This body of work features iconic portraits of supermodels and A-list personalities including Nadja Auermann, Eva Herzigová, Sharon Stone, Isabella Rossellini, and Brooke Shields, many commissioned by Vogue Italia, Vogue Germany, and L'Uomo Vogue. Comte's masterful approach combines technical precision with intimate portraiture, establishing him as a defining voice in luxury fashion photography. Each work reflects the aesthetic standards and cultural moment of the period, from elegant studio compositions to conceptual editorial pieces for Dolce & Gabbana and French Vogue.

Beyond fashion, Comte has worked as a filmmaker and fine artist, and in recent years has focused on "Light," an art project addressing environmental decline through large-scale installations, paintings, sculpture, and multimedia works — a continuation of the same restless creative range visible even in these earlier fashion portraits.

These photographs remain highly sought-after by collectors, representing a pivotal moment in fashion history when celebrity and high fashion intersected with artistic vision. The series showcases the photographer's distinctive style and his lasting influence on contemporary portraiture.

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Yves, Saint Laurent, W Magazine

About Michel Comte

Michel Comte's work commands a robust presence in the international auction market, affirming his status as a master of contemporary photography. His limited edition prints, particularly from his influential fashion and portraiture archives, are regularly featured in sales at Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips.

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