Big hair, glossed cheekbones, oiled bodies: Chris von Wangenheim, the cult 70s photographer

Lisa Taylor shows her mettle in one of Von Wangenheim’s most controversial – and cult – shoots. A dog’s teeth around your forearm? Not for the faint-hearted. Photograph: Chris Von Wangenheim/Gloss book

To discuss 70s New York these days is to talk of an era wrapped up in a mythology of hedonistic glamour, soundtracked by Chic, dressed by Halston, peopled by the likes of Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol and Grace Jones on the dancefloor of Studio 54 and, more than likely, snapped by Chris von Wangenheim.

The glamorous world of Von Wangenheim comes with the accessories of the super-rich – such as a helicopter, in shadow in this image, featuring Gia Carangi for Vogue in 1979. Photograph: Chris Von Wangenheim/Gloss book

While the German-born Von Wangenheim is far from as well-known as his contemporaries Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin and David Bailey are now, his work contains all the glossed cheekbones, big hair and oiled bodies that the era is renowned for.

Warhol Superstar Donna Jordan works the no-eyebrows look way back in 1977. Lady Gaga is in her debt. Photograph: Copyright - Chris Von Wangenheim/Gloss book

He captured the likes of Marie Helvin and Gia Carangi, both in moody black and white shots and amped-up colour, often naked. His less X-rated work appeared in the pages of Vogue and advertising for Valentino. Some of his images, such as those of a doberman chewing Lisa Taylor’s arm or Patti Hansen running from a burning car, have the requisite controversy to garner a buzz.

With all the romance of a Robert Doisneau photograph, Von Wangenheim adds his element of subversion by making these dancers two men. Still a pretty big deal in the 70s. Photograph: Chris Von Wangenheim/Gloss book

Von Wangenheim’s relative obscurity now may be explained by his untimely death in a car accident in 1981, at the age of 39, and the fact that his work hasn’t quite chimed with the zeitgeist since then. However, the fuzzy high-gloss Instagram-friendly aesthetic is exactly right for fashion at the moment, with the 70s on mood boards once again, and nightlife in focus. This is in contrast with the past five years when covered-up, practical minimalism made office hours the chicest time zone.

Patti Hansen, in finery of gown, fur coat and hair-do, walks away from a burning car: glamour augmented with cinematic drama. Photograph: Chris Von Wangenheim/Gloss book

The photographer’s reputation is due to be boosted this month, with the release of the aptly titled Gloss, a coffee table book of his images, and a Marc Jacobs-endorsed party to launch it.

Horses were the thing to have in 70s New York – as Bianca Jagger famously demonstrated. In this 1975 image, Von Wangenheim adds two models in underwear, with capes and riding whips. Photograph: Chris Von Wangenheim/Gloss book

Jacobs, always a fan of rediscovering a cult New York reference and a Studio 54 regular as a teen, has taken Von Wangenheim’s aesthetic to heart with a much-discussed, completely over the top dress code. Von Wangenheim would no doubt approve. Nearly 35 years after his death, the kind of glossy glamour that comes with a grrrrr is back in fashion.

• Gloss: the Work of Chris von Wangenheim by Roger Padilha and Mauricio Padilha is published by Rizzoli priced at £60
  

Correction: An earlier version of this article said that the model in the photograph (and also mentioned in the piece) who has a dog’s jaw round her arm was Christie Brinkley. It is Lisa Taylor