The Substance of Dreams
Lucia Giacani
Lucia Giacani's photography exists at the threshold between fashion and fantasy, where the real dissolves into the surreal and beauty takes on an almost hallucinatory quality.
Her images are meticulously composed, saturated with detail, and rich with symbolism; each frame a tableau vivant that blurs the boundaries between desire, identity, and illusion.
Dreams, in Giacani’s visual language, are not ephemeral or abstract. They are tactile, styled, and sharply focused — constructed with the same precision as haute couture. Yet beneath the surface of glamour, there is always a sense of tension. This duality, between control and chaos, surface and psyche, is where her dreams unfold.
In her world, fashion photography becomes a way of staging the unconscious. Her models do not merely wear clothes; they perform psychological states, embodying archetypes, fears, or fantasies. At times ethereal, at times unsettling, her images invite us into a subconscious realm where aesthetics and emotion collide.
‘Lucia Giacani is a woman who photographs women, capturing every aspect of them. Emotions, ambitions and normality are immortalized by the photographic lens and by a female eye that knows what to look for and how to express the essence of an entire universe. A woman who reflects other women: this is the intimate reason for her work. Her gaze – naturally feminine and revolutionary – is the silent engine that works behind every shot and through all her flashes.' (Vogue Italia, 2013)
'The Substance of Dreams' featues work from over 18 years of Lucia Giacani's photographic career.
Under my Skin$8,000
Around the World in 80 Days$8,000
Day Dreaming$8,000
Wrong Number$8,000
La Scarzuola$8,000
Day Dreaming$8,200
Killing Time$8,500
The Gilded Cage$8,200
Leaving Home$7,200
La materia dei sogni$9,000
Tale of the Flower Girl$8,000
Arty Girl$8,000
Entropia$7,400
Hi Tech Amarcord$8,000
Intercellular$8,000
Mannequin factory$7,800
Il Bestiare d'Amour, Cefalopodi$13,000
The Girl with Red Hair$9,000
Marionette$8,200
Kim$8,500
Queen$8,500
Pop Beauty$8,000
Skeletons in the Closet$5,800
Under my Skin $8,000
Lucia Giacani (b 1976) is a Milan-based fashion photographer recognised for her bold, surreal, and feminine vision that merges Italian elegance with international appeal. With over 18 years of experience, her work has featured in Vogue Italia, Harper’s Bazaar, and L’Officiel, along with major brand campaigns. Critics describe her imagery as theatrical, nostalgic, and deeply reflective of identity and art history. Awarded Italian Excellence in 2025, her recent exhibition Surreal Identities in Milan cements her reputation as one of fashion photography’s most innovative and visionary voices.