During World War II he was evacuated with his two brothers and sister to Kings Langley where he was taken in by the actors Roger Livesey and Ursula Jeans.

In 1950 he started art school to be a painter but soon realised that his peers were more talented and moved onto a dress design course 'where all the pretty girls were'.

During this time he worked closely with top models Jean Shrimpton (whom he introduced to David Bailey), Paulene Stone, Joy Weston, Tania Mallet, Marie-Lise Gres, Jennifer Hocking, and Judy Dent.

With fellow photographers David Bailey and Terence Donovan, Duffy was a key player in the 'Swinging Sixties' - a culture of high fashion and celebrity chic.

Together the 'Black Trinity' as affectionately named by Norman Parkinson (and only ever referred to by their surnames), redefined not only the aesthetic of fashion photography but also the place of the photographer within the industry.

Socialising with actors, pop stars, royalty, and the notorious Kray Twins, they represented a new breed of a photographer and found themselves elevated to celebrity status.

Duffy had an eight-year working relationship with the artist David Bowie and shot five key sessions over this period providing the creative concept as well as the photographic image for three album covers: Aladdin Sane (1973) when Duffy interpreted Bowie's original title of 'A Lad Insane' as 'Aladdin Sane', Lodger (1979) and Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980).

[5] Duffy also photographed Bowie as his character Ziggy Stardust in July 1972, and on the set of Nicolas Roeg's cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) on location for The Sunday Times.

[6] Although a large number of his images were lost the ones that remain stand collectively as a comprehensive visual history of twenty-five years of British culture and fashion.

Interest has grown year after year in Duffy's work and in 2012 Duffy had twelve international exhibitions including three solo museum shows at the Museo Nazionale Alinari della Fotografia Florence, Monash Art Gallery in Melbourne, Australia, and the Centro De Historias Museum Zaragoza, Spain.

Duffy's work was also exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery (Beatles to Bowie), The Tate Liverpool (Glam), and the V&A (British Design 1947-2012).

Films for BBC Two featured Chris Duffy donating an outtake image from the 1973 Aladdin Sane album cover shoot titled 'David Bowie Is...Watching You' to the V&A for its permanent collection.