• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
The Cut
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
Style
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Shopping
  • Design Hunting
  • New York Weddings
  • Parties & Red Carpet
  • Fashion Shows
  • Cathy Horyn
Self
  • Health & Wellness
  • Motherhood
  • Advice
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Science of Us
  • Horoscopes
  • Ask Polly
Culture
  • Books
  • Television
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Celebrity
Power
  • Politics
  • Work
  • Money
  • Rebecca Traister
More
  • Latest Stories
  • Video
  • About Us
  • The Cut Shop
  • nymag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
nightlife
July 30, 2014

A Rare Glimpse Inside Paris’s Exclusive 1980s Club Scene

By Erica Schwiegershausen

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
Photo: Ross Whitaker

In 1980, Ross Whitaker was an aspiring young fashion photographer. At 26, he had just moved from Paris to New York, where he had spent the past three years working as an assistant to the legendary photographer Arthur Elgort. “It was the place to go,” Whitaker reflects now. “Young fashion photographers, my peers — everyone moved to Paris, and we traveled through Europe extensively, working for very little money but filling up the pages of Europe’s magazines.” Whitaker quickly found work shooting for magazines like Elle and L’Officiel in France, England, Germany, and Italy, and, after hours, began frequenting Paris’s hippest parties.

A regular at clubs like Les Bains Douches, Le Privilège, and Privé, Whitaker became known for never being without his camera — a small 35-millimeter that he carried wherever he went. A self-described selfie pioneer, Whitaker claims that even Karl Lagerfeld was on the lookout for him: “Karl knew I had that camera, and he would catch me out of his peripheral vision,” Whitaker said. “I would stalk him at parties, and I’d tap him on the shoulder and he would whip his fan out in front of his face. I do not have a picture of Karl without his fan — I can’t even begin to explain how fast he was. I have a bunch of these — Karl with different fans. I don’t know whether he saw me in the room and was always prepared. He would go, ‘Ross, you’re not fast enough.’”

Yet Whitaker’s other subjects were far less guarded, and, by the time he left Paris in 1984 (he now works as a commercial photographer specializing in baby portraits in Southern California), he had thousands of dynamic, intimate photographs of the city’s most fashionable revelers. Click through the slideshow for a first look at his fantastic portrait of Paris nightlife in the early ‘80s, including pictures of Lagerfeld (with fan), Yves Saint Laurent, and many more.

Related

40 More Chic French Women
View
1 / 31 Photos
Karl Lagerfeld  Photo: Ross Whitaker
Yves Saint Laurent  Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
New York  Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
Photo: Ross Whitaker
1 / 31

Tags:

  • nightlife
  • vintage
  • party pics
  • paris
  • photography
  • slideshow
  • ross whitaker
  • karl lagerfeld
  • yves saint laurant
  • More

More Galleries

campaign trail Apr. 12, 2021
7 Women on Where They’re Finding Hope These Days  A new fashion campaign that focuses on the positive. 
fashion Mar. 15, 2021
Dramatic Wedding Gowns Inspired by Flowers  Danielle Frankel bridges the gap between bridal and fashion. 
campaign trail Jan. 28, 2021
 The Best Fashion Campaigns From Spring 2021  This season’s best from Prada, Versace, Miu Miu, and more. 
By Florence O'Connor
in memoriam Dec. 30, 2020
30 Incredible Fashion Moments From Pierre Cardin  Remembering a creative visionary. 
By Andrew Nguyen
rest in power Dec. 23, 2020
A Photo Memorial for an Iconic Model  She passed away suddenly at the age of 50 this week. 
campaign trail Nov. 18, 2020
‘Tis the Season for New Fashion Ads  See the best ones from Gucci, Prada, Versace, and more. 
By Emily Burns
nyfw spring 2021 Oct. 26, 2020
How a Great Collection Comes Alive  Christopher John Rogers launched its first-ever online shop, along with a new campaign. 
By Andrew Nguyen
campaign trail Sept. 24, 2020
See the Fashion Campaigns for Fall 2020  From Prada, Michael Kors, Celine, Louis Vuitton, and more. 
By Andrew Nguyen
nyfw spring 2021 Sept. 22, 2020
See the Coach Spring 2021 Collection  Worn by Megan Thee Stallion, Kate Moss, Cole Sprouse, and more. 
By Andrew Nguyen
fashion Sept. 16, 2020
The Stunning Awkwardness of Face Masks on the Red Carpet  Celebrities tried to make the best of a strange situation at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. 
one word one shot Sept. 15, 2020
72 Designers on Their Spring/Summer Inspirations  Just in time for Fashion Week. 
By the Cut
red carpet Sept. 8, 2020
This Red Carpet Was Totally Surreal  But also amazing. See all the looks at the Venice Film Festival. 
By Emilia Petrarca and Andrew Nguyen
in memoriam Aug. 31, 2020
Remembering Chadwick Boseman on the Red Carpet  His style was bold, risk-taking, and always impeccable. 
the wedding files Aug. 21, 2020
The Design-Minded Couple Who Didn’t Want to Try Too Hard  The bride got a wonderful surprise the morning of her wedding. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files Aug. 14, 2020
A Costa Rica Wedding During the Rainy Season  Thunder roared during the toasts. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files Aug. 7, 2020
A San Francisco Wedding at a Big, Empty Pier  The bride changed into crushed-velvet pants for the disco-infused reception. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 31, 2020
An Elopement Among the Lupines in Iceland  The late afternoon was spent snapping photos near waterfalls and black beaches. 
By Kaitlin Menza
the wedding files July 24, 2020
A Pennsylvania Potluck for 280 People  “I looked at her for the first time and had this feeling like, You. I know you.” 
By Kaitlin Menza
milan fashion week July 22, 2020
Behind the Scenes at Gucci’s Virtual Show  Instead of models, members of the design team sported the eccentric collection. 
By Andrew Nguyen
the wedding files July 17, 2020
A Dance Party Under Puerto Rican Palm Trees  Bad Bunny blasted and pitorro flowed. 
By Kaitlin Menza
  • Style
  • Self
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Help
  • We’re Hiring
  • Press
  • Trademark
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Accessibility
The Cut is a Vox Media Network. © 2021 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.