A new exhibition in Milan celebrates Gian Paolo Barbieri, one of the most iconic fashion photographers of the 20th century, who defined the 1990s through a cinematic aesthetic and a masterful eye for detail.

The exhibition “Eternal Elegance,” hosted at 29 Arts in Progress until January 15, 2026, showcases works from Barbieri’s archive spanning from the mid-1960s to the early 2000s. Through his black-and-white and color imagery, fashion becomes a story — layered, emotional, and alive. For Barbieri, every photo was a scene — a dialogue between fashion, femininity, and light.

Milan itself takes center stage, as seen in his iconic 1991 Gianfranco Ferré campaign, where Piazza del Duomo transforms into a cinematic tableau reminiscent of Hitchcock. Collaborating with Versace, Armani, and Valentino, Barbieri created images that transcend the fleeting nature of fashion, capturing the very essence of timeless elegance.