Steven Meisel's Self-Portrait

He’s the Godfather of photography, fashion’s Thomas Pynchon—the creator of the term Supermodel (capital ‘S’) as we know it. But aside from being the fashion photographer with the Midas touch (he’s shot every single cover of Italian Vogue since 1998), Stephen Meisel is a recluse who rarely goes out in public, conducts all of his photo shoots behind a scrim, and doesn’t give interviews. That is, until now. Meisel granted Vogue writer Johnathan Van Meter access for a rare profile. Says Meisel in the magazine: “"I definitely live in the present. I know people probably think of me as just living in the past. I do like certain periods in fashion. But I don't live in the past at all. I'm very much now and tomorrow.”