Bond’s world of backstage, a world in which Kate Moss sips champagne and Carla Bruni smokes cigarettes in Valentino gowns, is no more. The age of the supermodel is over – and Bond was one of few there to document it. “People would often shoot the hair and makeup while the models were getting ready,” he recalls. “But when the actual show began, the photographer’s tended to be kicked out. But, for whatever reason, perhaps because at the beginning I was granted access by Vivienne, I was allowed to stay.”
From this point, Bond recalls, his innocence earned him a kind of familiarity with the iconic models he photographed. This, in turn, allowed him to capture moments which might otherwise have been missed. However, despite the business backstage, Bond says his images were never taken in haste. Working with a medium format camera, he had little choice but to be considered in his approach.