La robe à pois - Sarah Moon (1996)

La robe à pois (The Polka Dot Dress) is one of Sarah Moon's most celebrated photographs and has become closely associated with her distinctive visual language.

The photograph portrays a woman in a voluminous polka dot dress, her face hidden from view. Rather than revealing itself at once, the image leaves space for interpretation, inviting the viewer to return to it again and again.

"La robe à pois doesn't reveal itself at first glance. It continues to unfold for those who stay with it, and that's exactly the kind of work Icons of Photography was created to present," says Per Broman, CEO of House of Photography.

Sarah Moon – The Photographer Who Changed Fashion Photography

Born in Vernon, France, in 1941, Sarah Moon spent part of her childhood in England after her Jewish family fled the German occupation. She began her career as a fashion model in London and Paris before moving behind the camera in the late 1960s.

At a time when fashion photography was defined by sharpness and glamour, Moon developed a softer and more cinematic visual language. Her photographs placed atmosphere and narrative before fashion itself, helping to redefine what fashion photography could be.

In 1972, she became the first woman to photograph the Pirelli Calendar. She went on to work for publications including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle, as well as fashion houses such as Chanel, Comme des Garçons and Cacharel.

Today, Sarah Moon is regarded as one of the most influential photographers of her generation. Her work continues to inspire photographers around the world and has helped shape the visual language of both fashion and contemporary photography.