SLIM AARONS 1916-2006

Modernist design was in demand and fresh ways of living were emerging among members of high society, whose jetset lives were seen as aspirational.

Slim Aarons

SLIM AARONS 1916-2006

Travelling between locations such as Capri, the French Riviera, Verbier and Beverly Hills, he shot scenes that captured the public’s imagination.

Slim Aarons

SLIM AARONS 1916-2006

A regular contributor to magazines such as Life, Town & Country and Holiday, Aarons got a front-row view of the lives of celebrities.

Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons was a celebrated American photographer who chronicled the leisurely lifestyle of the rich and famous in his captivating shots of beguiling figures in luxurious environments. Slim Aarons’ prints of the iconic poolside series are some of the most candid portraits of the 20th century.

Slim Aarons was a celebrated American photographer who chronicled the leisurely lifestyle of the rich and famous in his captivating shots of beguiling figures in luxurious environments. Slim Aarons’ prints of the iconic poolside series are some of the most candid portraits of the 20th century.

Aarons was born and raised in New York. He began taking pictures at the age of eighteen, after enlisting in the US Army, where he served as an official combat photographer during WWII. In a career that spanned six decades, Aarons’ camera lens moved from soldiers to stars and celebrities. The photographer claimed that the only beaches worth photographing were "decorated with beautiful, semi-nude girls tanning in a tranquil sun." In presenting glimpses of the rich and famous engrossed in leisurely pursuits, Aarons exposes the high life and allows his audience to experience it vicariously. Aarons’ intimately candid scenes have given him an era-defining legacy as one of the most influential photographers of his generation. Over the course of his 50 year career, Aarons was a regular contributor to magazines such as Life, Town & Country, Vogue and Holiday and received an exclusive look into the lives of figures such as the Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly.

 

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Barbados Bliss, C-type print by Slim Aarons
DISCOUNTED
Chalet Costi, C-type print by Slim Aarons
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Chalet Costi, C-type print from £95

Slim Aarons

Various sizes

Eden Roc Pool, C-type print by Slim Aarons
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Eden Roc Pool, C-type print from £95

Slim Aarons

Various sizes

Palm Beach Street, C-type print by Slim Aarons
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Penthouse Pool, C-type print by Slim Aarons
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Klosters, C-type print by Slim Aarons
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Klosters, C-type print from £95

Slim Aarons

Various sizes

Pool at Lake Tahoe, C-Type Print by Slim Aarons
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Poolside Gossip, C-type print - Framed by Slim Aarons
Ready To Hang
Garden Party, C-type print by Slim Aarons
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Garden Party, C-type print from £95

Slim Aarons

Various sizes

Eden Roc Pool, C-type print - Framed by Slim Aarons
Ready To Hang
Poolside Backgammon, C-type print - Framed by Slim Aarons
Ready To Hang
Beverly Hills Hotel, C-Type Print by Slim Aarons
DISCOUNTED
Skiing Waiters, C-Type Print by Slim Aarons
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Artist Facts

"They would invite me to one of their parties because they knew I wouldn't hurt them. I was one of them."

In 1997 Mark Getty of Getty Images bought Aarons’ entire archive of photographs and published a book of his work, 'Poolside with Slim Aarons', a decade later.

Fritz Mitchell's documentary about Aarons, 'Slim Aarons: The High Life' was released in 2017.

Aarons' assistant Laura Hawk said the photographer could 'court and charm' celebrities without 'being mesmerised by them.'

Aarons earned a Purple Heart as a combat photographer.

Further reading