Getty Images, "Saint-Tropez Beach," Slim Aarons, August 1971

This iconic photograph captures the essence of French Riviera glamour on the legendary beaches of Saint-Tropez in August 1971, immortalizing the sophisticated beach culture that defined the Côte d'Azur during its golden age as the ultimate playground for international celebrities and jet-setters. The image embodies the effortless elegance and sun-drenched luxury that transformed Saint-Tropez from a humble Provençal fishing village into the world's most celebrated seaside destination, where artistic bohemians, Hollywood stars, and European aristocrats gathered to experience the perfect fusion of Mediterranean beauty, cultural sophistication, and the liberated spirit of the early 1970s. This remarkable scene represents the pinnacle of French Riviera chic, capturing Saint-Tropez at the height of its fame as the muse that inspired painters, filmmakers, and writers who found in this coastal paradise the ultimate expression of joie de vivre and artistic freedom.

Photographed during the peak of Saint-Tropez's legendary summer season, this quintessential Aarons composition celebrates the timeless allure of the French Riviera's most exclusive destination and the art of sophisticated leisure. The scene captures the essence of la dolce vita at its most authentic, where the natural beauty of golden beaches and azure waters provided the perfect backdrop for a cultural revolution that began with Brigitte Bardot's iconic films and evolved into an enduring symbol of luxury and freedom, celebrating Saint-Tropez's unique position as a place where artistic creativity, celebrity culture, and Mediterranean elegance converged to create a lifestyle that continues to define the ultimate expression of summer sophistication and coastal luxury.

Slim Aarons, renowned for his evocative photographs of, as he described it, "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places," was the quintessential chronicler of high society. After serving as a decorated WWII combat photographer and earning a Purple Heart, Aarons made a conscious decision to trade the torn battlefields for lush lawns and tropical gardens. His work for prestigious publications including LIFE, Town & Country, and Harper's Bazaar captured an aspirational world of leisure and luxury that defined the American upper class throughout the mid-20th century, creating images that remain timeless symbols of sophistication, style, and the art of living beautifully.

Every piece in our unique Slim Aarons collection is meticulously handcrafted using archival materials and printed on premium, luster photographic paper with environmentally safe inks, custom framed by skilled artisans who ensure that each work of art meets the exacting standards befitting such an iconic photograph.