Irving Penn, a renowned photographer for Vogue and a master of fashion photography, is being celebrated in two exhibitions in Paris. The Maison européenne de la photographie (MEP) is hosting an exhibition titled Penn & Fashion from September 30, 2026, to January 17, 2027, which gathers his most significant prints. This event is part of the MEP's 30th-anniversary celebrations, as the institution, inaugurated in 1996, is marking the bicentenary of photography. The exhibition focuses on Penn's relationship with fashion, highlighting his iconic black and white imagery and his influence on the history of fashion photography. A room on the second floor of the MEP is named after Penn, and the institution holds approximately 109 works by the artist, according to Pascal Hoël, curator of Penn & Fashion and head of collections at the MEP. The exhibition was previously presented in 2023 at the Franciscaines in Deauville, in collaboration with the Penn Foundation, managed by the photographer's son. The exhibition brings together works from the MEP collection as well as from the Erni collection, one of the most important fashion photography collections in the world. The exhibition is chronological and spread over two levels, beginning in 1943 when Penn was hired by Alexander Liberman, the influential art director of Vogue, to create still lifes for the magazine. This marks the beginning of a nearly 60-year collaboration with Vogue, during which Penn established his own mark. In 1948, while sent by Vogue to Peru, Penn became fascinated by the traditional clothing of the Quechuas, which he photographed against a neutral background, in a makeshift studio bathed in natural light. He made this approach one of the foundations of his visual language and took more than 3,000 photographs on this occasion. The exhibition highlights Penn's collaborations with various designers, including Christian Dior, Courrèges, John Galliano, and Issey Miyake. The simplicity of Penn's approach enhances the sculptural aspect of Miyake's creations, as evidenced by magnificent platinum prints. Penn's lens captures the spirit of the times, from the "New Look" silhouettes of the 1950s to the rise of ready-to-wear in the 1960s, up to the fantasy of the 1980s. He immortalized several generations of models, including his wife, Lisa Fonssagrives, and Marisa Berenson. At the end of his career, Penn continued to assert his taste for theatrical fashion, choosing the models and designers he wished to work with. His latest images demonstrate an unending desire for experimentation, including the use of color in culinary photographs and stunning beauty series. These images, named "stoppers" by Liberman, are capable of capturing the gaze in an instant. "Irving Penn's images go beyond fashion. They have become icons of photography," summarizes Pascal Hoël. In addition to the MEP exhibition, the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection is hosting an exhibition titled The world according to Penn from September 16, 2026, to January 10, 2027, which retraces Penn's career through 450 prints. This autumn in Paris, two exhibitions are celebrating Irving Penn's legacy.