6 August 2026

Never Seen Before: Stephen Sprouse

“Some photographs wait decades before finding their audience.”

For more than thirty years, these portraits of Stephen Sprouse remained unseen.

Photographed by Michel Haddi in New York in the 90's for a remarkable ten-page editorial for British Vogue, they capture one of fashion’s most original visionaries at a moment when New York was redefining creativity.

Stephen Sprouse never followed fashion.

He challenged it.

Long before collaborations between luxury houses and street culture became commonplace, Sprouse was painting graffiti onto couture, mixing punk with Pop Art, and transforming fashion into an act of rebellion. His influence would eventually be seen everywhere, but during the early 1990s he remained one of New York’s most fearless creative voices.

Michel recognised that spirit immediately.

Their connection extended beyond photography. Both admired Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange—its unforgettable characters, visual tension and uncompromising aesthetic. Rather than producing another fashion editorial, they wanted to create something cinematic.

Every frame became part of a story.

Every portrait became a character.

Every photograph carried the energy of a film that existed only inside their imagination.

The editorial was photographed entirely in New York, a city that, at the time, stood at the centre of fashion, music and contemporary art. It was a place where creative boundaries disappeared.

Stephen Sprouse was surrounded by extraordinary people.

Among them was Debbie Harry, his great friend, collaborator and muse. Michel would later photograph Debbie herself, capturing another defining figure of that extraordinary generation. Looking back today, these portraits represent more than individual personalities—they document an entire creative movement.

For Michel Haddi, photography has never been about recording appearances.

It has always been about revealing character.

For more than four decades, Michel has photographed actors, musicians, designers, artists and cultural icons whose influence shaped contemporary culture. His unmistakable visual language appeared in the pages of British Vogue, Vogue Italia, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, GQ, Esquire, Interview Magazine and many of the world’s most influential publications.

His archive is more than a collection of photographs.

It is a visual history of fashion.

Today, Michel Haddi Studio begins opening that archive for the first time.

The Department Collection presents museum-quality, signed limited-edition fine art prints together with previously unpublished editorials, contact sheets, Polaroids and personal stories from behind the camera.

These portraits of Stephen Sprouse are among the first.

Hidden for more than thirty years.

Seen today for the very first time.

Some photographs capture a moment.

The finest define an era.