This story is part of a series, Past/Present, highlighting images and articles from Vogue that have personal significance to our editors.
Some of Vogue’s editorials invite readers to enter into a fantastical, distant world—and during this pandemic, we all need a little bit of escapism. I think that “Wildest Dreams,” a story from 2019, offers a magical narrative that can help ease the mind during these uncertain times.
Looking back at the lush, cinematic quality of this sitting brings me both pleasure and nostalgia. It was the last one Peter Lindbergh did for the magazine, and the last time I worked with him. My working relationship with Peter began at Vogue Italia in the mid-2000s. The work we created then was most often black-and-white love notes tinged with melancholy. Our next chapter was written in color as we created epic escapes for American Vogue.
No one knew that this shoot, featuring actor Tomasz Kot and model Rianne Van Rompaey on a romantic romp in the West, would be Peter’s final bow. I will never forget his knack for making a team—which, this time, included stylist Grace Coddington—feel like a family. Between shots, Lindbergh often chatted with Kot, revealing his passion for his craft.
A visionary, Peter was known for his ability to conjure the twilight zones of Old Hollywood and the Wild West in a contemporary way. His pictures are enchanting, and their stories of love and exploration remain timeless. They are important reminders that the world is filled with imagination and hope, even on dark days.
“Wildest Dreams,” photographed by Peter Lindbergh, was published in the July 2019 issue of the magazine. Fashion editor: Grace Coddington. Menswear editor: Michael Philouze. Hair, Orlando Pita; makeup, Francelle Daly. Produced by 2B Plus.
