At the age of 12, filmmaker Gordon von Steiner, was already a fully-fledged cinephile, compulsively watching the works of Pedro Almodovar, Woody Allen and David Lynch. Now, in his mid-twenties, von Steiner has already established himself as the most sought after talent for top fashion brands. He has collaborated with Steven Meisel on films for Prada, Miu Miu and Coach.
British/Canadian by birth, von Steiner moved from Toronto to New York, where he is now based with his own studio in Brooklyn, to attend NYU’s prestigious Tish School of the Arts. He studied experimental filmmaking and became interested in the portfolios of fashion photographers such as Richard Avedon, David LaChapelle and the influential Meisel, whom is now a regular partner in film projects. “I became really interested in that aspect of this super, super beautiful aesthetic transferred onto film,” von Steiner tells BoF.
Von Steiner’s eye for aesthetics, combined with his love of a compelling narrative, comes together in provocative, emotional pieces of fashion cinema: “The one thing I’m always trying to avoid is having everything look the same,” he tells BoF. “I want the viewer to feel something.”
Aside from his work with Miesel, von Steiner has directed films for luxury labels Bottega Veneta, Chanel and Vera Wang , as well as regularly working with publications like Vogue and W Magazine. His modern approach to fashion films – a genre on the up in the digital world - has made him one of the most exciting talents in the industry, winning him accolades from the Clio Image Awards, the Berlin Fashion Film Festival and The Society of Publication Designers. His work has been exhibited at Palais Galliera in Paris and Fondazione Forma per la Fotografia Milan.