1985 Buffalo - Jamie Morgan

1985 Buffalo - Jamie Morgan

The year is the title. The new IDEA book is 1985 by Jamie Morgan. This is a Buffalo book; it is written in red on the cover. Buffalo was the name that Jamie Morgan, the photographer, and Ray Petri, the stylist, gave to their improvised and ad hoc studio. Buffalo would become a phenomenon, defining, almost indefinitely, the look and feel and attitude of 80s in fashion photography and style. The year when it all came together was 1985. The photographs are by Jamie Morgan but they were made by Jamie and Ray, who passed away at the end of the 80s. The wider team of course includes Neville Brody; he designed 1985; it couldn’t be anyone else. Felix Howard has his face on the cover just as he did on The Face magazine. In the 80s, Buffalo became a family: Nick and Barry Kamen, Neneh Cherry, Talisa Soto, James Lebon, Mitzi Lorenz and co. Naomi Campbell was a Buffalo girl. She and Kate Moss were 15 and 14, respectively, when they were discovered. Felix Howard was even younger! They were different times. They were Buffalo times.

It all really begins with Ray Petri. This is Jamie on his first meeting with Ray, from Jamie’s introduction to 1985.

“Ray walked in dressed in black jeans, penny loafers and a pork pie hat. He was effortlessly cool and walked like he was in slow motion, floating on air, and he smelt good. He was the most stylish man I’d ever met. Ray was exactly ten years older than me. He was the big brother I never had and the father I never lived with. He showed me a love and respect I hadn’t experienced before. He was endlessly encouraging. I was always self-doubting and critical of my work, but Ray was the opposite, he made me feel I was talented and could do anything.”

Other collaborators talk in the book on Jamie and Ray’s influence on them.

The book is a definitive record of what was done. It is also a book of what can be done. It is a source book of genuine inspiration, not to copy, but to be brave and make pictures and statements. 1985 is nothing but pictures that make statements.

• Photography by Jamie Morgan
• Book Art Direction by Neville Brody & Brody Associates
• Softcover with gatefolds, silver foiling and silver gilt edges
• 24 x 32cm
• 136 pages
• Edition of 750

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IDEA is a London based bookstore and publisher. IDEA will publish MELANIE & THE MINERS’ STRIKE for Photo London in May in an edition of 500 copies. The book will launch at Dover Street Market on May 15th as part of the store’s Photo London week.