On November 1st, 1976, Helmut Newton did a one day location shooting at Xavier Coiffures, Inc. (7 West, 57th Street, New York) with two popular models, Winnie (Hollman) and Patti Hansen. On a note written by Newton to his friend Xavier, dated November 10th, he asks him to return the negatives when he won’t need them anymore so the photographer could use them in his next book.
Several months later found Newton enjoying a particularly productive period in his career and publishing his first book, White Women. The present remarkable images were not published in this book since Newton did not pursue the return of these negatives or documents as intended.
Newton made a powerful set of pictures for his friend Xavier. The contacts were scrutinized and the best frames identified. Prints were made including mural-size enlargements for the salon (not known to have survived) and these vintage prints are parts of the nine that were preserved by Xavier until his death. The negatives have now been returned to the Helmut Newton Archive. These prints survive as the testament to the photographer’s brilliance; we see his unique ability to exploit every commercial commission as the opportunity to develop his inimitable imagination, while delivering a fabulous result to his client.