Staley-Wise Gallery: 40+ Years Pioneering Fashion Photography in New York

Founded in 1981 by Etheleen Staley and Takouhy Wise, Staley-Wise Gallery in New York was the first space dedicated to a fashion photography exhibition. Initially focusing on photographers like Horst P. Horst, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Cecil Beaton, Patrick Demarchelier, David La Chapelle, and Steven Klein, the gallery has since expanded to include portraits, landscapes, and still lifes since 2023, though style remains the unifying criterion. Staley notes the gallery never invested in PR or advertising, relying on word-of-mouth and paper invitations. Today, clients come from as far as New Zealand and Singapore, and online sales have grown without complaints. The gallery participates in major fairs including Paris Photo and the Photo Fairs New York. Younger collectors are less common due to high prices, but the gallery now works with children of original clients.