10 Sep Remembering Fashion Icon, Bill Cunningham By Rio Hamilton

American Fashion Photographer, Bill Cunningham, was best known for his street style photos along with his candid shots. Dropping out of Harvard University, he went on to pursue a career in designing women’s hats which quickly turned into becoming a writer for Women’s Wear Daily and the Chicago Tribune. In 1978, Cunningham began to report to The New York Times until he recently passed away from a stroke in June 2016. We decided to take the time to remember the talented Bill Cunningham with an article written by Rio Hamilton.

 

Remembering Bill Cunningham: Fashion’s Best Friend

By Rio Hamilton

 

 

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Bill Cunningham: Getty Images

Bill Cunningham, the blue-jacketed originator of street-style photography who pioneered the notion that fashion lived on the street, passed away at the age of 87 on June 25th. His eye was characteristically indiscriminate: a single column could include an array of bright orange kelly bags beside New York Dandy Patrick McDonald’s stylish haberdashery. Bill worked as a kind of fashion anthropologist, who was as passionate about documenting trends as he was about celebrating spectacular individuality.

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Photo by Rio Hamilton

“I go out every day. When I get depressed at the office, I go out, and as soon as I’m on the street and see people, I feel better. But I never go out with a preconceived idea. I let the street speak to me.” – Bill Cunningham

Jiyang Chen

Photo by Jiyang Chen

“The wider world perceives fashion as frivolity that should be done away with. The point is that fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. I don’t think you can do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization.” – Bill Cunningham

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Photo by Rio Hamilton

“The best fashion show is definitely on the street. Always has been, and always will be.”  – Bill Cunningham

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Photo by Joyce Culver

In an interview with fashion maven Fern Mallis (during one of her famous Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis video series) Bill described the most spectacular fashion show he’s even seen. The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show took place in 1973, in Chateau de Versailles. There were 5 French fashion designers (Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Cardin, Ungaro and Dior) and 4 American designers (Bill Blass, Ann Klein, Oscar de la Renta and Halston) all showing to benefit the venue itself, to pay for the roof to be restored. An excerpt of Mallis’s interview with Bill can be found here.

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Still from footage of the Battle of Versailles Fashion Show, 1973

Cunningham turned our sidewalks into runways and New Yorkers into models,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “His vivid photos captured our city’s diversity in every sense of the word, and helped define New York as the fashion capital of the world.”

He was sought after by the fashion world’s rich and powerful, yet he remained one of the kindest, most gentle and humble people I have ever met.

We have lost Fashion’s best friend !!

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Rio Hamilton has been a luxury lifestyle industry insider and connector for 15 years. Having access to a multitude of resources and vast marketing/sales experience in all elements of interior design – Rio’s team provides guidance and assistance in cultivating and promoting creative luxury brands.

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