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The
fashion industry
will always change and evolve to suit seasons and trends. To remain a
constant
in such a beautiful but fickle industry, one must remain ahead and
unaffected
by this continual change. New York fashion photographer Bill Cunningham
has done
so for decades. Cunningham's regular column "On the street" for
The New York times showcases his sharp eye for colour, style and
originality.
This column is not for celebrities, models or actors with their free
clothes.
It is for the everyday fashion aware people of New York: the dazzling,
the
daring and the different. Being a fashion photographer since the 50's
has
helped Cunningham understand the art of fashion and photography. With a
memory
for detail and an awareness for originality that only experience can
bring, he
brings an informed opinion to a very cyclical and trend ruled industry.
He is a
colourful subject and his positive view on life is the driving force
behind
this documentary.
Despite
his flair
for capturing the flamboyant, Cunningham is a simple man on the other
side of
the camera. He takes his photos by riding his bike around the enormous
expanse
of New York City, or just by walking on the street amongst the people
he loves
to photograph. Dressing the same every day, he also lives very humbly.
At the
time of the documentary he is living alone in Carnegie Hall, where he
has been
since the 50's (Cunningham has since been forced to move out to make
way for
music studios). His tiny apartment is nothing but a mass of cabinets,
filled
with a rich history of his fashion photography. There is barely even
room for
his tiny single bed. It is a startling physical representation of the
importance that he places on his work. One of the last artists to be
living in
the rent control apartments above Carnegie Hall, Cunningham talks
lovingly of
the bohemian lifestyle he has witnessed living there. Photographers,
painters,
actors and dancers have all have passed through the halls of the
prestigious
building. None are more colourful than fellow resident Editta Sherman.
Snapping
the stars since the days of Brando and herself being filmed by Warhol,
she is
one of many colourful characters that feature in this documentary. She
and
Cunningham talk fondly of days gone by, as Cunningham urges her to show
off her
work. There is a love and respect between them that is old fashioned,
playful
and a joy to watch. While the documentary features noted fashion icons
like
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and prominent author Tom Wolfe, it
is the
lesser known characters like Editta that really give the documentary
its
vibrancy and charm. All of them lovingly tell stories of Cunningham's
importance, unbridled love for fashion and his understanding of the
individual
need for statement through style.
Director
Richard
Press knows this documentary works through the honesty of its subject.
There is
no clever editing or Hollywood hype, just a point and shoot aesthetic
that runs
for the duration of the feature. New York seems even more colourful,
while red
carpet events seem stylish not garish and everyday people photograph
like
professionals. This is Cunningham's world and the director gives us a
beautiful
insight into it. Stories are effectively accompanied by the related
photography
and the camera is often left on people so they reveal more about
Cunningham and
themselves. The documentary's only weak point is that it only delves
into
Cunningham's personal life towards the end of the feature. When asked
about his
private life, the photographer remains short and withdrawn. When asked
of
romance, he talks of fashion being his main love in life. In a
surprising and
very touching moment when Cunningham's talks of his weekly church
visit, he
breaks down and cries. Showing a much deeper thought than fabric, there
is more
story to him than is revealed in the documentary, but this is the way
the
photographer wants it.
Bill Cunningham New York is
about style, poise and individuality. Not just within the fashion world but in
the world in which we all exist. Cunningham's unique life experience makes him
an informed and interesting subject with a beautiful view on the world. Upon
receiving the Order of France for his contribution to fashion he comments,
"He that seeks beauty will find it". There is much beauty on display
in this documentary. Surprisingly though it comes from the stories, the city
and Bill Cunningham himself. Not the clothes or the models. If fashion doesn't
hold your interest, this documentary still has much to offer. It will not
change your world but it will definitely brighten it. For the fashion conscious
or those wanting to get into the industry, Bill Cunningham New York should
not be missed.
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