"No matter if they are commercial or editorial shots, powerful storytelling is definitely her signature style," said Sebastien Plantin, curator of "Ladyland" at Opera Gallery in London's Mayfair. The show includes '90s icons such as Kate Moss (pictured), Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell in playful, sensual, feminine visuals that are hallmarks of von Unwerth's photographic oeuvre.

Born in 1954 in Frankfurt, Ellen von Unwerth lost her parents at an early age. Despite having a dramatic start to life, von Unwerth's life changed at age 20 when a photographer spotted her in Munich and invited her to pose in front of the camera. She moved to Paris and worked as a model for 10 years before she discovered her love of photography.

In 1989, von Unwerth was working for British fashion designer, Katharine Hamnett, as a photographer. In the same year, two major forces in the fashion industry would come together. Ellen von Unwerth discovered Claudia Schiffer and essentially launched her career with iconic photos from this Guess campaign. Von Unwerth's own photography career was also kickstarted by the collaboration.

"Her pictures are not only aesthetically pleasant, but they are also educational because they express a more sophisticated approach to femininity. In Ellen's photographic world, women can stand alone and be in control, they are self-assured and emancipated from the male figure," explained Plantin, in understanding von Unwerth's role within the context of the #MeToo movement.

"I always organize my shoots like movies. Initially I have a narrative in my mind, it can often be a mixture of inspirations, and I can work from that. Which means, I can write a little story, then cast the people accordingly, choose the location and the crew, and always work with music on set that fits the story," said von Unwerth in the catalog for her show.

Von Unwerth has been known to capture her subjects in the most genuine moments, and she has admitted that she has continued to photograph them when they believed the shoot was over. Her artistic ideology reflects her own life: "My creative philosophy is very simple and includes everything I do: I love life and I love to capture it. I want to share it with people now and for generations to come."

Von Unwerth garners inspiration from a variety of places. "I take pictures all the time and I am always thinking about new narratives to feed my work," von Unwerth said. "I am lucky that I get inspired by many various sources in life: art, cinema, music, fashion of course, but also people in general, a scene that I see on the street, some paparazzi pictures among many things."

Plantin explained how the name of the show, "Ladyland," was inspired: "Originally the title was different, but one day Ellen called me in one of her Eureka moments, as she had dreamt of the perfect name for the show: Ladyland. It's emblematic of the world of wonders and delight that her photos encapsulate."

Having produced innumerable photos over a long-running career, von Unwerth has witnessed a shift in audience opinion. "People's reactions, which reflect the perceptions that they have, have evolved tremendously in the past number of years," she said. "What was provocative back then is considered normal today. For example, when I shot two women kissing 30 years ago, people found it shocking."

Von Unwerth had been a model in front of the camera before she went behind the lens, and this experience differentiates her from male contemporaries, Plantin believes. "Sometimes male photographers seem to patronize female models, whereas it appears to me that Ellen has an equal, genuine and authentic approach with her sitters."

German supermodel Claudia Schiffer initially planned to be a lawyer like her father. All that changed in 1987 when the 17-year-old was discovered in a Dusseldorf disco by a modeling agent who invited her to go to Paris for a trial shoot. Shortly after, fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth shot Claudia for the cover of "Elle." Just a few years later, she appeared at the Chanel show in 1990.

Success came rapidly for the newbie model. Von Unwerth photographed Claudia for a Guess jeans campaign and in 1988, top designer Karl Lagerfeld (left) declared her to be his muse, also making her the new face of Chanel. Her bright blue eyes shone out from the covers of all the top fashion magazines, and she walked global runways for designers such as Versace, Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana.

In the 1990s, Claudia (right) was earning around $10 million per year. It was the apex of the supermodel era, a decadent decade filled with alcohol, astronomical fees and first-name global fame. But Claudia's reputation within the industry was one of discipline and standoffishness. "Maybe I should have had a glass of champagne now and then," she told German newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung" in 2014.

In 1993, the then 23-year-old met star magician David Copperfield (right) at a gala in Berlin and became engaged in 1994. Claudia even appeared in some of Copperfield's stage acts. However, after a few years the magic faded from their romance; in 1997, they announced their split, citing incompatible work schedules. There were rumors that the romance was not real, but just a business relationship.

Claudia continued a full-steam modeling career into the early 2000s. But her priorities shifted after marrying film director Matthew Vaughn in 2002 and starting a family. She scaled back her work to spend time with her husband and their three children: Caspar (left), Clementine (right) and Cosima (not pictured).

The Rheinberg-born model made her home in London, where she appeared on a series of 2006 tube ads highlighting German investment (above). Her project portfolio diversified in the new millennium: She launched a cashmere collection in 2011, as well as designed a series of glasses frames for the German eyewear company Rodenstock. She also appeared in a minor role in the hit movie "Love Actually."

In August 2017, Prestel Verlag published a commemorative book of photos and text tributes from the photographers and designers who have worked with the supermodel. Here, the cover photograph of the book she is signing shows the mother of three in a nude photo by Mario Testino for "Vogue" in Paris in 2007.