Photo by Richard Press for Bill Cunningham New York
In 2009, we had The September Issue. And now in 2011 we have Bill Cunningham New York; this gem of a doco which uncovers yet another foundation of the fashion journalism complex: Bill Cunningham. But most probably don’t know who Bill Cunningham is. Bill Cunningham is the 82-year old Street Style and Evening Hours photographer for the New York Times, which he’s been doing since 1978, before The Sartorialist and every other street-style blogger we know these days. And he does it all on his red Schwinn, which he can be seen pedaling all through New York City, capturing trends before they even hit the runway or your local H&M. He is simply a major arbiter of style – respected from the haute and anyone just simply interested in personal style.
Image by Bill Cunningham, from Doro Design
So when I finally got my hands on this doco, I definitely fell in love it immediately. It’s not just an ode to personal style, but also an ode to those who are head-over-heels committed to their craft – and Bill Cunningham is just one of them. And it’s this which made me fall in love with this film. So if you’re into fashion, fashion photography, or just interesting people – this film is a definite must-see; and something really heartwarming for a cold night…it’s pretty chilly in Phnom Penh, these days, by the way.
PS – I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! As I write this, I just realised that the other side of the world is still celebrating while we’re already at Boxing Day over here. Nonetheless – hope you all had a great one! xoxo
