The Australian Government has acquired the archive of one of the country's most influential fashion photographers, the late Bruno Benini. The collection will soon be on display at a museum in Sydney and it's inspiring a renewed appreciation for Australian fashion history.
Bruno Benini was one of the leaders in his field in the 1950s, but it's only now that his work is being recognised for its importance in charting the history of Australian fashion.
Benini photographed some of the biggest names in the industry, and decades later they still appreciate the contribution he made to the fashion world.
Former model Maggi Eckardt said, "I saw Bruno's work as personifying beauty in women, which doesn't always happen. And if I looked at all those images, they were glorifying women."
Benini was known for his intensely stylised poses, and was considered a trend-setter in fashion photography for the way he incorporated the background and seemingly added movement to the shot.
Benini was born in Italy, but began his photography career after moving to Melbourne. But during the 1950s and 1960s, fashion photography was barely recognised as artistic.
It's only now that the value of Benini's archive has been acknowledged, prompting the government's decision to acquire the collection for public display.
Benini’s widow Hazel Benini said, "Because Bruno never thought, You know, we often used to take a mounted blow-up photo and we'd put it on our knee when we were spotting a print, just using it as a board. Now they're handling them with white gloves."
Hundreds of photos and thousands of transparencies will go on display at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
Although times and fashions have changed, these images of eras gone by will now be available to inspire future generations.
(CCTV May 8, 2009)
