Marilyn Monroe in 1962

Few people know famous subjects quite the way legendary photographer Bert Stern does. From his era-defining portraits of Marilyn Monroe, which captured a superstar at her most beautiful and most fragile, to his recent work with Kate Moss, which captured a supermodel at her rawest and most personal, Stern has exhibited an unerring eye for beauty and an unmatched talent for making women look like women.

This week, his brand-new spring 2010 campaign for Club Monaco breaks in stores and online, and Stern will be honored by the label this Thursday, March 25, at its flagship store on Fifth Avenue. Club Monaco has long collaborated with some of the world’s most iconic photographers — from Peter Lindbergh to Richard Avedon — but Bern Stern is always Bert Stern. We caught up with the iconic lensman to chat about his past and future. Here he talks about what makes a supermodel super, how fashion has changed, and why photography will never look the same.

Kate Moss photographed by Bert Stern

On successful models: “Great models are great models. Kate Moss is a great model. I don’t know what makes her great. She either is or she isn’t. I can’t make you a great model, just like I can’t make you taller.”

Twiggy photographed by Bert Stern in 1967

On his all-time favorite subjects: “Kate is one of my favorites, along with Twiggy and Suzy Parker. They’re great. They’re talented at what they do. I love Scarlett Johansson. There’s something very red about Scarlett Johansson. And there’s nothing like a blonde.”

Malgosia Bela photographed by Bert Stern for Club Monaco

On Club Monaco: “Working with Club Monaco is a lot of fun. Everybody is very supportive. They make beautiful clothes, and there is always a great energy on the set. I had not worked with Malgosia [Bela, the model] before, but she is very good at what she does.”

On what’s inspiring: “The changing weather.”

On technology: “I don’t deal with things like Facebook and Twitter. I find it to be too much work. Computers are fabulous, but when you start getting into all these technological media, it begins to not interest me.”

Bert Stern photographs Malgosia Bela and Matt Merrell for Club Monaco

On designers we miss: “I think we miss Valentino. McQueen was truly fabulous. He was an extraordinary talent. The fashion was so artistic. I was very taken with him.”

On fashion then and now: “Today clothes are much more casual; they are easier to wear. There are so many great choices. And now with online, it seems to be endless.”

Bert Stern for Club Monaco

His advice to fledgling models: “Just be yourself. If you’re chosen for a job, there’s something the client likes about you. Taking pictures is between the photographer and the model and the stylist and the hairdresser. And if the photographer is sensitive to you, he will capture what you’re about.”

On the end of photography: “Photographers all seem to be dying. I think the digital thing has changed things. Everything looks the same. Everyone uses the same light and the same camera, so it doesn’t matter who takes the picture. There’s fabulous equipment, and you just have to push the button.”