Franco Rubartelli was a prominent fashion photographer and director who was born in Florence, Italy in 1930. He started his career working with the great Italian fashion photographer, Ugo Mulas, in the late 1950s, learning from his modernist approach to fashion photography.
In the early 1960s, Rubartelli began to make his own mark on the fashion world. He started shooting for Italian and French Vogue, then traveling across Europe to take pictures of the latest trends. His style was always clean and precise, with an emphasis on the beauty and femininity of the model. He was also known for his use of vivid colors and innovative lighting techniques.
During the 1960s and 70s, Rubartelli worked with many of the top fashion houses in Europe, including Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valentino. He was also commissioned to shoot a series of celebrity portraits for the Italian edition of Vogue, including Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, and Marcello Mastroianni.
In the late 1970s, Rubartelli began to focus on directing films. He made several short documentaries, including one about the fashion house, Valentino. He also wrote and directed two feature films, 'The Girl on the Bridge' and 'The House of the Spirits'. Both films were critically acclaimed and earned him two Silver Lion awards at the Venice Film Festival.
In the late 1980s, Rubartelli started working in the music industry, directing several music videos for Italian and international stars. His work was often praised for its visual sophistication and for the way he captured the emotion of each song.
Throughout his career, Rubartelli continued to shoot fashion and celebrity photographs for a variety of magazines. He was also a passionate teacher, giving workshops and lectures at universities and art schools across Europe.
Rubartelli passed away in December 2019, at the age of 89. His legacy as one of the most influential fashion photographers of the 20th century is one that will remain for generations to come.
