folder 92 - Fall 1998/1999 Photos

Mary Hiliard is an American fashion and society photographer. She got her start when a friend asked her to shoot a Giorgio Sant'Angelo runway show. Through this exposure she gained a strong working friendship with Sally Kirland. Through Kirkland, Hilliard was introduced to New York’s fashion elite, photographing designers such as Calvin Klein, Bill Blass, and Oscar de la Renta. As she began to work more with fashion houses, she became noticed and was hired to work as a freelance society photographer. Through this she was invited to photograph society weddings, elite events such as the Met Gala and other New York and American society events. Eventually her work became highly sought after around the world and she would go on to shoot notable foreign society members such as Princess Diana, Elton John, and Donatella Versace. In 2017. she said of her work and success: "I always wished to be a fly on the wall, to watch but not participate."