Irina Ionesco

Irina Ionesco was born in Paris in 1935. Of Romanian origin, she moved to the city of Constan?a from the age of four, where her grandmother raised her. Fleeing the Russian occupation, she returned to Paris as early as 1948.

A contortionist and painter by turns, Irina Ionesco became interested in photography from 1964, when the painter Corneille placed her first camera in her hands, a Nikon F. She then embarked on a significant series of erotic portraits in black and white. In 1974, her photographs were presented at the Nikon Gallery in Paris and met with exceptional success.

They mainly represent women posing half naked, wearing make-up, and dressed in incredibly extravagant accessories. Among her models, her young daughter Eva often featured, and the photographic nudes of her are still highly controversial today.

The gothic and sensual style of Irina Ionesco nonetheless made her a veritable icon for many designers. She continues to receive numerous orders from fashion magazines such as Vogue or Stiletto and produces photographs for prestigious houses such as Givenchy.