Richard Avedon once said, “None of the women I consider beautiful have beautiful features. What moves me is when something unexpected happens in the face.”

A revolutionary fashion photographer, Avedon spent the greater portion of his life dedicated to reshaping couture photography.

He set himself apart by uncovering unconventional beauties, such as ’60s Portuguese/Chinese model China Machado, who broke the mold by being the first non-Caucasian cover girl in the Western world and emphasized the importance of the model, as no longer just a prop for the clothing, but rather an equally important facet of what he called “the fashion essay.”

For the first time, roughly 180 of Avedon’s masterpieces are on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The collection, titled “Avedon Fashion Photographs 1944-2000” is a comprehensive study of Avedon’s 50 years of work in what was a continually changing fashion scene.

It follows his humble beginnings as an advertising photographer in the post-World War II era at “Harper’s Bazaar,” to his final works with top models including Kate Moss and Gisele Bunchen.

“It’s like a walk down memory lane,” said Pam Marcil, the public relations director for the DIA. “The photos start in the ’40s and the fashion is fascinating. You’re able to see how fashion has evolved and some fashions have come back.”

The exhibit, which features photographic prints, magazine features, and never-before-seen contact sheets, is a little different than previous exhibitions at the DIA.

When patrons enter the first room, stark white walls, high ceilings and a large screen await them.

Within moments, Graham Beal, director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, appears on the screen, and welcomes you to what will be the DIA’s very first cell phone tour.

The audience is told to turn their phones to vibrate, and watch for the small signs with phone numbers next to certain photos.

After dialing the number, the caller is greeted by a woman’s voice who gives background on the particular photograph, as well as insider details about Avedon’s creative process and development as an artist.

In what Marcil calls, “keeping up with the times,” the DIA is also allowing their followers to become involved in the arts by offering free VIP tickets to the Avedon exhibit to the winners of its Fashion by the Decade contest.

In honor of Avedon, the DIA is asking the community to send in their fashion photos in order to create a fashion-by-decade online yearbook.

The site, which asks for photos to be sent to [email protected], solicits all types of photos, stating, “Show us your fashion evolution! Send pics of yourself, your family and friends throughout the decades. The good. The bad. The ‘what was I thinkings.'”

People who submit photos are automatically entered into the weekly drawing for VIP tickets to the Avedon exhibit, which runs through Jan. 17.

“People will enjoy this as something different, everyone likes fashion. To see how it’s done throughout decades is so interesting,” Marcil said.

Murray Grondin, local photographer and associate creative director for Detroit advertising agency Team Detroit attended the exhibition and felt the photo display represented Avedon “remarkably.”

“Richard Avedon’s breadth of work is staggering, and the exhibit at the DIA is an exhaustive collection spanning a remarkable 50 years. He defined fashion photography, setting the bar, and all of his iconic shots are represented: Dovima with Elephant and Suzy Parker in Dior,” Grondin said.

Not only were earlier Avedon photographs moving, but Grondin also found the more recent photos to have a similar, astounding effect.

“Amazingly, his later work was just as fresh as his earlier ventures,” Grondin said. “A campaign for Versace, and work with Stephanie Seymour show that he is the master of fashion photography bar none.”

Avedon died October 1, 2004, as the result of a brain hemorrhage while shooting an assignment for The New Yorker. Even in his last days, Avedon was still striving to break down the barriers in traditional photography and capture couture fashion in innovative ways.

He is revered as a master by many, and his groundbreaking work in the fashion and photo industry remains unmatched.

Go to dia.org for more information about this exhibit.