Arnold Newman

I came across Arnold Newman's work in an usual way... I was working at a big photography studios in London and the Creatives working upstairs decided that the communal toilet would be the place to store their tomes of photography books and magazines while building work was carried out to their offices.

 Two Men on Front Porch, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1941

Boy with Dog, Arden, Delaware, 1947

Both these images are photographs taken from a book found in the toilet... as I couldn't find better reproductions online. They're so atmospheric, capturing the emotion of the men and boy. I love the porches - the chair and geraniums, climbing ivy and wooden shutters... And naturally, the clothes. Both photographs are part of Newman's early work, before he got famous and took some of the portraits that are now very well known. 

Georgia O'Keeffe, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, 1968

Pablo Picasso, Vallauris, France, 1954

The Swans

A friend recommended a book recently - which I finally got around to reading this Christmas - Swan Song, by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott. The book tells the story of Truman Capote and his Swans; the well dressed and heeled American socialites of 1950s and 60s. So unbelievably glamourous and OTT. It provoked much googling on my behalf - endless outfit inspiration!

Slim Keith

Barbaba 'Babe' Paley

Lee Radziwell

Gloria Guinness