Before Mark Shaw became the unofficial Kennedy family photographer in the late 1950s, the talented shutterbug was snapping fashion for Life magazine. And as one of the very first photographers to capture not only the catwalk but backstage at the shows, too, Shaw bore witness to the authentic, legendary fashion that leaves modern day style buffs in awe.

And in 1954, couture season was a particularly busy one — Shaw shot Christian Dior‘s presentation, brought Life readers into Balenciaga‘s grand salon and, probably coolest of all, showed both the calm and the chaos of Pierre Balmain‘s backstage.

In this image, which is part of a series that never made it to print, a model is readied for the runway in a Balmain couture wedding gown.

Notice that there aren’t any traces of vitamin water, cosmetics companies or car brand sponsorships to be found.

If you have a few minutes, head to the Andrew Wilder gallery in L.A. to pick up a limited edition print ($800-$1,800). For those with more time than money, browse the gallery website to view the entire collection, which includes three pages of jaw-dropping fashion images and pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O. and Coco Chanel, too.

154 North La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. 323-934-4452. svenskamobler.com