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Duffy - (15 June 1933 – 31 May 2010)

Duffy’s cutting-edge photography documents the vibrancy of “the Swinging 60’s” London scene when the city was at the height of cool and places him in the photographic history books as one of the UK’s most respected photographers.

Bailey Duffy 2010 B

Duffy's Story

In the late seventies, Duffy stopped taking stills and moved onto commercials, never to return to the stills camera again. In the following years, Duffy became reclusive and refused to give interviews or talk about his time at the top as a photographer.

During the 90’s Duffy’s son Chris became frustrated that Duffy’s name was slowly slipping into obscurity and regularly tried to persuade him to do something with his remaining archive. It wasn’t until 2006 when Duffy was diagnosed with the degenerative lung disease Pulmonary Fibrosis that he finally gave Chris the green light to start putting the archive together. The process was a labour of love for the first few years. Organising, scanning and databasing what remained took many hours whilst Chris was running his video production company. In 2009 the opportunity to exhibit at Chris Beetles Gallery in Mayfair London gave Duffy the platform for his first ever exhibition and this was hailed with great critical acclaim. The exhibition ignited an incredible interest in his work and there were regular queues around the block. During the process of putting the exhibition together, the BBC commissioned a documentary on Duffy’s life and work which aired in 2010. Chris then started on the first monograph but sadly Duffy was never to see this and passed away on 31st May 2010. Since 2010 Duffy’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world. In 2013 the Victoria and Albert Museum approached the archive to request use of his Aladdin Sane image as the lead image for the ‘David Bowie is’ exhibition. This show has been the V&A’s fastest selling exhibition reaching over 2 million visitors on its world tour. Duffy’s name has now become recognised by an international audience and his name is now firmly back on the map. In 2014 Duffy’s second book was released – ‘Duffy Bowie: Five Sessions’ which covers the back story to his work with David Bowie. Written by Chris Duffy and Kevin Cann the book explores the chemistry and creation of these five iconic sets of images illustrated with interviews from people who were directly involved. For more information click here. The archive is made up of negatives, vintage prints, modern prints and contact sheets that were held by the family and other material retrieved from numerous UK and International magazines and newspapers such as Vogue, French Elle, Glamour, The Sunday Times and The Telegraph as well as those stored from commissions of glossy magazines such as Queen, Town & London Life. The process of exhibiting Duffy’s work continues and the future holds several more book projects illuminating Duffy’s eclectic and influential work.

Bryan Duffy © Trevor Leighton
© Trevor Leighton

Latest News

This shoot in Morocco for French Elle Magazine was titled “Les Trois Magiciennes” and published on this day in 1962. The article describes this cape as having an otter collar. Elle printed instructions and a pattern so that the reader could sew the cape and suggested that the garment could be dressed up or down with the right accessories.⁠
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 Duffy Archive #Duffy #BrianDuffy #FrenchElle #FrenchFashion #editorialfashion #Morocco #1962 #SwingingSixties #60sFashion #60sStyle #Cape #SewingPattern #fashionshoot #PhotoOfTheDay #ElleMagazine  #fashionphotography #blue #otterfur #FrenchStyle #CasualChic #FashionArchives #VintageFashion #FromTheArchive #OnThisDay @ellefr
Today is Thanksgiving in America, and a big part of the celebration is food, particularly pecan and pumpkin pies! This image of a local deli was taken in 1976 during one of Duffy's many work trips to New York. We wish all our followers a very happy Thanksgiving weekend! ⁠
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#Duffy #DuffyArchive #BrianDuffy #Thanksgiving #holiday #celebration #food #pie #SignageDesign #VintageSigns #Signwriting #NewYork #NYC #Reportage #1976 #fromthearchive##⁠
Today, we send birthday greetings to Amanda Lear. This risque image was shot by Duffy for the Nova Magazine cover in May 1971, titled 'How to undress in front of your husband'. The sequence can be found on our website.  Duffy & Amanda both attended the prestigious St.Martins School of Art, and she was a longtime muse of the artist Salvador Dali.⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #NovaMagazine #Stockings #AmandaLear #1971 #Editorial #1970sPhotography #Lingerie #Striptease #Hasselblad #BritishPhotographer #davidbowie #SalvadorDali #MagazineCover #VintageMagazine #muse #Singer #Actress #Model #French #icon #Birthday #StMartinsSchoolofArt @AmandaLear⁠
We wish Jean Shrimpton a very Happy Birthday! The images of Duffy and Jean were shot for Italian Vogue in Duffy's London studio in the 1960s.⁠
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#duffyarchive #duffy #brianduffy #jeanshrimpton #iItalianVogue #studioshoot #fashionphotographer #portraitphotographer #britishphotographer #swingingsixties #1960s #fashionmodel #sixtiesmodel #blackandwhitephoto #monochrome #fromthearchive #Hasselblad  #FilmPhotography #editorialphotography @jeanshrimpton @VogueItalia⁠
Adam Ant, Photo Chris Duffy, London 1979.
Duffy met Adam Ant several times when he came into his studio and today we wish Adam a very Happy 70th Birthday. Adam is currently on tour in the UK until the 9th November.
More images of Adam Ant can be found on the Chris Duffy Archive website.

#duffy #duffyarchive #chrisduffy #adamant #adamandtheants #dirkwearswhitesocks #dandyhighwayman #portrait #musicportrait #antmusic #stuartgoddard #punk #punkrock #80sicon #punkband #punkhistory #popstar #portraitphotography #birthday #onthisday #streetphotography #london #fromthearchive #unseen #1979 #newrelease #ontour #70thbirthday

@adamantofficial @chrisduffyphoto
Duffy’s images of Michael Caine, shot in 1964, are on the front page of today’s Sunday Times Magazine, with more of the contact sheet from the session featured inside.  The article publicises Michael Caine's new book, ‘Don't Look Back, You’ll Trip Over : My Guide to Life’  Please contact the Duffy Archive for Michael Caine prints.⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #MichaelCaine #SundayTimes #1964 #actor #britishactor #legend #portrait #portraitphotography #blackandwhitephoto #bwphoto #styleicon #monochrome #booklaunch #swingingsixties #photooftheday #fromthearchive @michael_caine_official @SundayTimesMagazine
New release of a Duffy image of Michael Caine shot in 1964.  Further photos are featured this weekend - more to follow, and check out our website page on Sunday. To purchase Michael Caine prints, please contact the archive.⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #MichaelCaine #1964 #actor #britishactor #legend #portrait #portraitphotography #blackandwhitephoto #bwphoto #styleicon #monochrome #booklaunch #swingingsixties #photooftheday #fromthearchive @michael_caine_official
In February of 1979, Duffy shot his fourth of five sessions with Bowie for the cover of the Lodger album. To create this particular shot, Duffy positioned himself high in the studio rafters while Bowie reclined on a bench below.  Wires were attached to his face and gently pulled to distort his features, creating the illusion of a falling man. Chris Duffy has remastered the negative for today’s Halloween feature. The archive team wishes everyone a Happy Halloween!⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DavidBowie #Bowie #Lodger #BowieLodger #ANewCareerInANewTown #halloween #1970 #remastered #remasteredphotography #britishphotographer #albumcover #albumcoverart #musician #portrait #portraitphotography #singer #photoshop #orange #specialeffects #halloweenphotography #spooky #fromthearchive @chrisduffyphoto
Wishing Bowie’s longtime friend Clare Shenstone a very Happy Birthday today.  Clare is a hugely talented artist working in several mediums. Francis Bacon recognised her talent when he saw her degree exhibition at the Royal College of Art and commissioned one of her artworks, and he sat for her over several years, becoming her mentor and friend. Clare knew Bowie from early on in his career and was a witness at his wedding to Angie. In later years, she was commissioned to design one of his birthday invitations. Photo taken by Chris Duffy in her London studio in 2019.⁠
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#DuffyArchive #ChrisDuffy #ClareShenstone #DavidBowie #FrancisBacon #Artist #BritishArtist #FemaleArtist #ContemporaryArt #Birthday #FromtheArchive #PortraitPhotography @ClareShenstoneStudio @ChrisDuffyPhoto
Today, the single ‘Fashion' was released from the Scary Monsters album. Here, Bowie turns to the left in a Polaroid shot in April 1980 at Chris Duffy’s studio in Little Russell Street, London.⁠
Chris was assisting his father, who shot the photographic images for the album cover. More images from this shoot can be found on our website (link in Bio).⁠
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 #BrianDuffy #Duffy #DuffyArchive #DavidBowie #BowieDuffy #Pierrot #1980 #scarymonstersandsupercreeps #Fashion #45single #vinyl #archivephoto #fromthearchive #onthisday #collectingphotography #albumartwork #Polaroid⁠
Blitz Gallery in Toyko opens today a two part exhibition featuring Duffy’s fashion work now until the end of the year and his portrait work in the New Year. #Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #FashionPhotographer #FashionPhotography #PortraitPhotographer #PortraitPhotography #Vogue #BritishVogue ElleMagazine #QueenMagazine #TownMagazine #VintageFashion #JeanShrimpton #PauleneStone #Swinging60s #exhibition #Tokyo #fromthearchive @blitz_tokyo
Duffy shot this image on this day for French Elle in 1964 with the model Ina Balke. The white trouser suit is by Andres Courreges, famed for his ‘space age’ fashion. The large holdall travel bag is the famed Hermes Haute A Courroies, which first appeared in 1892 and went on to influence the design of the Kelly bag and, thereafter, the Birkin bag.⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #InaBalke #FrenchElle ##60sFashion #60sStyle #AndreCourreges #Hermes #HermesHauteaCourroies #Haute #VintageFashion #VintageStyle #FrenchFashion #Chic #1964 #FashionPhotography #OnThisDay #PhotoOfTheDay #EditorialPhotography@ellefr
Preorder Nick Smarts new Bowie book with Duffy’s images within go to @quietseclusion for more info!
Fashion image for a feature on velvet shot for French Elle on this day in 1975.⁠
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#DuffyArchive #Duffy #BrianDuffy #FrenchElle #fashion #editorial #velvet #70sFashion #OnThisDay #1975 #fashionphotographer #VintageFashion #BritishPhotographer #fashionshoot #PhotoOfTheDay #ElleMagazine #model #70sStyle #FromTheArchive #fashionphotography #FrenchStyle  #FashionArchives  @ellefr
Today, we celebrate the 90th birthday of the great French actress and singer Brigitte Bardot. This image was taken by Duffy on the set of Viva Maria in Mexico in 1965 for the Sunday Times magazine. Brigitte was nominated for a BAFTA award for her role. She starred in 47 films, several musical productions, and recorded 60 songs. Since retiring from the entertainment business, Brigitte is best known for her role as an animal rights activist.⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #brigittebardot#brigitte #bb #bardot #frenchactress #actress #entertainer #singer #frenchsinger #vivamaria #filmset #bafta #portrait #portraitphotography #1965 #swingingsixties #birthday #animalrights #B&W #monochrome #filmcostume #mexico #sundaytimes #fromthearchive
Today would have been the birthday of the prolific stage and screen actor Kenneth More. The photo was taken in 1960 for a Vogue fashion article titled ‘I don't know about fashion, but I know what I like’. In 1969, he appeared in Duffy’s production of ‘Oh! What a Lovely War'. The Kenneth More Theatre, named in his honour, was founded in 1975 in Ilford, East London.⁠
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#Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #KennethMore #actor #stageactor #tvactor #filmactor #OhWhatALovelyWar # #BritishVogue #kennethMoreTheatre #funphotoshoot  #monochrome #BlackandWhitephotograph #1960 #SwingingSixties #fromthearchive @BritishVogue @kennethMoreTheatre
The fabulous Biba Story exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum in London ended with a sell-out weekend. On Friday night, the Biba book by Martin Pel was launched at the Kensington Roof Gardens.  It was a fabulous launch to match a fabulous book with the stunning designs of Barbara Hulanicki and the glamour of Biba! Slide over to see Martin Pel with Chris Duffy, Milliner Stephen Jones and Geoff McCormack - a very good time was had by all! Do go and buy the book (a few books signed by Barbara are available to purchase at the Fashion & Textile Museum shop) and we are delighted that many of Duffy’s Biba images are included.
 
 #Duffy #BrianDuffy #DuffyArchive #TheBibaStory #fashiontextilemuseum #fashionexhibition #BarbaraHulanicki  #Biba #vintagefashion #VintageBiba #1970sfashion @BarbaraHulanicki @FashionTextileMuseum @MartinPelCurator @MartinPel @StephenJonesMillinery @GeoffMaccormackCollection @ChrisDuffyPhoto
This vintage image, signed by Duffy, is revealed for the 1st time to celebrate the 44th anniversary of the 1980 Scary Monsters (& SuperCreeps) album launch. This was the 5th and final shoot Duffy worked with Bowie and their 3rd album cover. Aladdin Sane and Lodger are referenced on the album sleeve (Duffy’s 2 previous album covers). More images from this album shoot can be viewed & purchased on the Duffy Archive website. Use SCARY20 at the website checkout for a 20% discount on all Bowie-mounted prints until Oct 5th 2024.⁠
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#DavidBowie #BrianDuffy #Duffy #VintagePrint #NewRelease #Anniversary #BowieDuffy #Pierrot #1980 #ScaryMonstersAndSuperCreeps #AlbumCover #AladdinSane #Lodger #Vinyl RCA #ArchivePhoto #FromTheArchive #Celebration #OnThisDay #CollectingPhotography #AlbumArtwork #BehindTheScene #BowieForever #GlamRock
THE Goodwood Revival event this weekend reminded us of this photograph held in the archive of a group of young 1940s enthusiasts from Essex featured in the Sunday Times Magazine in April 1976 for an article titled 'Back In The Mood.' Under the guidance of DJ Chris Hall, the legendary Gold Mine venue in Canvey Island became an unexpected hub for the 1940s dance revival.⁠
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#Duffy #DuffyArchive #BrianDuffy #SundayTimesMagazine #Editorial #1940s #1940sFashion #1940sStyle #vintagefashion #1976 #GoldMineCanveyIsland #ChrisHall#GoodwoodRevival #retrostyle #WillysJeep #fromthearchive @SundayTimesMagazine⁠
Chris Duffy was talking with an engaged audience yesterday about the photographs shot by his father at the Leica Gallery at the Goodwood revival. He recounted a funny story about Duffy’s first experience with a Leica camera shooting for Vogue.⁠
Many thanks to Lou Proud and her team for welcoming us and hosting Duffy’s images.⁠
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 #Duffy #DuffyArchive #BrianDuffy #Leica #classiccameras #VogueUK #goodwoodrevival #exhibition #vintageprints #classiccars @louproudcurator @leicaUK @goodwoodfestival

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