Georges Dambier Biography
Georges Dambier (1925 - 2011) Born in 1925, Georges Dambier first went to work for the painter Paul Colin, where he learned drawing and graphic design. Then he got a job as an assistant to a famous portrait photographer (Harcourt's Studio, Paris Match). There he discovered photography and was taught the fundamentals of this art. Georges Dambier was 20 when World War II ended, a time when the Parisian social scene suddenly took off. Nightlife, subdued during the Occupation, exploded. One night he managed to photograph Rita Hayworth who had come incognito to a famous nightclub, Le Jimmy's. Dambier sold the images exclusively to France Dimanche and earned a job at the magazine as a photojournalist. In his new assignment, he was sent around the world to cover current events. While building and perfecting his craft, Georges Dambier was hired by Helene Lazareff, editor of ELLE, the fashion magazine. Thus he obtained his first assignment as a fashion photographer. As his career blossomed, he became known for his ability to capture the essence of feminine elegance and glamor in his images. In 1954, Robert Capa asked him to head a fashion department at the Magnum photo agency. Unfortunately, Capa died a few weeks later, while covering the Indochinese War. Meanwhile, Georges Dambier opened his studio in Paris. As a freelance photographer, he continued to collaborate with ELLE and many beauty and fashion brands. In addition to his work in advertising, Georges Dambier created portraits for record covers and posters; in 1964, he launched his project of a magazine for young people dedicated to culture and fashion (TWENTY) and in 1976 he created the VSD magazine which was an immediate success. In the late 1980s, Georges Dambier retired to a quieter life in the countryside.
