Bill Cunningham New York

Before The Sartorialist, there was Bill Cunningham.  He's been photographing fashionable people on the streets of New York City for more than 50 years.  Now at age 82, Cunningham is the subject of a new film "Bill Cunningham New York".  Produced by Zeitgeist Films, it will be released in Los Angeles and New York on March 16th.  I will be in New York City that following weekend, and I hope to catch it while I'm there.

Here is a glimpse of the trailer:

The New York Times published a fabulous interview with Bill Cunningham in 2002.  Here's is a brief snippet below:

"I STARTED photographing people on the street during World War II. I used a little box Brownie. Nothing too expensive. The problem is I'm not a good photographer. To be perfectly honest, I'm too shy. Not aggressive enough. Well, I'm not aggressive at all. I just loved to see wonderfully dressed women, and I still do. That's all there is to it.

...I came to New York in 1948 at 19, after one term at Harvard. Well, Harvard wasn't for me at all. I lived first with my aunt and uncle. I was working at Bonwit's in the advertising department. Advertising was also my uncle's profession. That's why my family allowed me to come here and encouraged me to go into the business. I think they were worried I was becoming too interested in women's dresses. But it's been my hobby all my life. I could never concentrate on Sunday church services because I'd be concentrating on women's hats."

To read the article in it's entirety, click HERE.

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