Monday, July 14, 2008

Re: Bill Cunningham

Thanks for highlighting Bill Cunningham, Elizabeth. Oh man! This has probably been up there in my favorite NYT multimedia features of all time, along with The Minimalist (see episode featuring the Mini-malist).

He doesn't pretend otherwise: Bill Cunningham's persona is kind of an anachronism these days. But he always manages to be right on point while being tragicomically (I'm sorry...but it's true!!) clueless. He stalks the streets looking at women like a loving zoo patron, treating his subjects' style with the shock and awe usually reserved for children marveling at the things an orangutan throws around his cage.


My favorite episode is probably the one highlighting the vertical wonder of Parisian women's shoes at the latest fashion week. He focuses his lens on the complicated foot cages that stomp Paris' Rues and waxes bemusedly about French sartorial boldness.

This Mr. Magoo of street style snappers is worth obsessing over, and following closely, because he appropriately reveres and highlights the circus that is fashion, with all its strutting and plumage.

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