Celebrated for chronicling the lives of the rich and famous in all their glory, Slim Aarons’ photography gave rise to an exquisite lifestyle ideal of refined glamour that lives on to this day.

An eminent American photographer of high society living, Slim Aarons spun magic out of grandiosity through his craft. Born George Aarons in 1916 and later nicknamed “Slim” due to his towering six-foot-four-inch frame, Aarons dedicated his career to photographing the lives of the affluent in stunning environments. By capturing these moments, Aarons single-handedly redefined the Good Life, introducing the public to entirely new levels of unfettered splendor and magnificence. 
Having first picked up the camera when he enlisted as a World War II soldier at the age of 18 and became a war photographer, Aarons made the shift from combat photography to lifestyle <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/azzedine-alaia-peter-lindbergh-exhibition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photography</a> upon his return, landing gigs at esteemed publications such as Life and Harper’s Bazaar. From there, Aaron’s fixation on encapsulating the lavish lives of the wealthy was born.

From shimmering pools in Palm Springs, California, to dreamy Italian vacations on private yachts, Aarons’ knack for capturing aspirational imagery of a seemingly endless <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/french-riviera-summer-travel-inspiration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summer</a> became his hallmark. His influence has since transcended the realm of photography, influencing the worlds of fashion, beauty, and beyond. Soon enough, the scenes he captured and the people they depicted became an unspoken cultural blueprint for beholders of all walks of life. 
His subjects appeared untroubled and wholly immersed in opulence at all times—from the looks of Aarons’ photos, wealth seemed an utterly inconsequential thing. Having once described his subjects as, “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places,” Aarons photographed members of the Hollywood elite (and uncoincidental fashion icons) <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/marilyn-monroe-apology-note-to-joe-dimaggio-christies-auction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marilyn Monroe</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/grace-kelly-style-inspiration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grace Kelly</a>, Janet Leigh, and others.

Aarons’ extravagant images sold a fantasy—one that still breeds <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/gen-z-y2k-millennial-90s-fashion-nostalgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nostalgia</a> and desire in onlookers to this day. The idealistic and lush poolside scenes Aarons had such an affinity for presented no indication of any uphill battle to get there—rather, they offered irresistible glimpses into a world where unperturbed smiles and sunshine were simply an everlasting norm.

The magnificent photos Aarons took moved fashion and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/cruise-2021-collection-balmain-dior-saint-laurent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resort style</a> beyond compare, even without such having ever been his explicit intention. "I don't do fashion," Aarons famously said, "I take photos of people in their own clothes and that becomes fashion." Even in the world of today’s ever-increasingly casual dress, Aarons’ regal taste persists, and will likely dictate standards of chic shoreside style forevermore.

The Splendor of Photographer Slim Aarons’ Endless Summer

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