Ormond Gigli And The 'Girls In The Windows'
In 1960, Ormond Gigli was a freelance photographer working in New York City, with a studio on East 68th Street. Across the street from his window, he often gazed upon an old Beaux Arts brownstone building, which stood abandoned and desolate. The sight ignited his imagination, and in his daydreams, he envisioned the windows of the building filled with glamorous women. His mind continued to return to this vision, and it eventually became a full-fledged idea: what if this building, soon to be demolished, could be brought to life in one final, spectacular image?
Gigli learned that the building was indeed slated for demolition, and although he didn’t have the resources to fund a large production or hire professional models, he took a bold step to bring his dream to life. He convinced the foreman in charge of the demolition to give him two hours during the lunch break when the site would be clear. Undeterred by budget constraints, he reached out to a modelling agency he had worked with and asked for volunteers to participate in his vision. These women, who were asked to bring their own outfits, would receive a token payment of $1 (about $10 in today’s value). Gigli also included his wife, Sue Ellen Gigli, and the demolition foreman’s wife as part of the ensemble.
The logistics of the shoot were not simple. Since the building had already been gutted, leaving behind a shell devoid of gas or electricity, Gigli had to work around structural obstacles like gaping holes in the sidewalk. Determined to make the image as iconic as possible, he even arranged for a Rolls Royce to be parked on the sidewalk in front of the building, adding a sense of elegance and contrast to the urban decay. The models were placed in the windows – some standing boldly on the window frames, others posing from within – while three more models were strategically positioned on the street level.
From a fire escape attached to his studio, Gigli shot the image using a wide-angle lens. The result was a photograph that brought vibrancy and energy to a building on the brink of erasure. Even today, over 60 years later, the image retains its vitality and uniqueness, capturing a fleeting moment of beauty and creativity before the building disappeared forever.
A Legacy Beyond Time
The Girls in the Windows is one of those rare photographs that manages to transcend its moment. In an era saturated with images, where we forget most of what we see, Gigli's photograph stands out. The picture has become an icon, achieving what only a very small percentage of images can do: capturing a timeless essence that continues to resonate with viewers.
Over his career, Gigli produced many other significant works, including fashion and celebrity photographs, product campaigns, and movie promotional images. His work was frequently published in leading magazines, and his reputation as a photographer grew. But it is The Girls in the Windows that has endured as his most celebrated image.
The photograph's success, however, did not come immediately. After the shoot, the image was not widely commercialised until 1994, when Gigli’s wife, Sue Ellen, offered it to a gallery. From that point onward, the photograph gained enormous popularity among collectors. By 2023, more than 160 signed prints had been sold at auction, amassing a total value of around $12 million. Auction experts estimate that The Girls in the Windows may be the most collected and highest-grossing photograph of all time. Unlike many other fine art photographs, which are deliberately kept scarce to increase value, Gigli embraced the popularity of his image and produced signed prints in multiple sizes. As of 2023, approximately 100 of these remain unsold, according to his son and estate manager, Ogden Gigli.
Daydreams Realised
For Gigli, the creation of The Girls in the Windows was the realisation of a dream – one that transformed a decaying building into a celebration of life, beauty, and joy. Shouting directions through a bullhorn, he asked the models to "pose as if they were giving someone a kiss," a directive that infused the image with a playful spontaneity.
As viewers, we cannot help but be drawn into the same spirit. The photograph invites us to participate in its story, to experience the freedom and exuberance of its subjects. Though Gigli is no longer with us, his image continues to live on.
This is how Ormond Gigli recalls the story (according to Time magazine):
In 1960, while a construction crew dismantled a row of brownstones right across from my own brownstone studio on East 58th Street, I was inspired to, somehow, immortalize those buildings. I had the vision of 43 women in formal dress adorning the windows of the skeletal facade.
We had to work quickly to secure City permissions, arrange for models which included celebrities, the demolition supervisior’s wife (third floor, third from left), my own wife (second floor, far right), and also secure the Rolls Royce to be parked on the sidewalk. Careful planning was a necessity as the photography had to be accomplished during the workers’ lunch time!
The day before the buildings were razed, the 43 women appeared in their finest attire, went into the buildings, climbed the old stairs, and took their places in the windows.
I was set up on my fire escape across the street, directing the scene, with a bullhorn in hand. Of course, I was concerned for the Models’ safety, as some were daring enough to pose out on the crumbling sills.
The photography came off as planned. What had seemed to some as too dangerous or difficult to accomplish, became my fantasy fulfilled, and my most memorable self–assigned photograph. It has been an international award winner ever since.
Most professional photographers dream of having one signature picture they are known for. “Girls in the Windows” is mine.