Known for his candid images, Bill Cunningham was a well-known figure around international fashion shows, always arriving by bicycle, wearing his trademark blue workman's jacket, a 35mm camera slung around his neck. The legendary photographer died in New York on Saturday, June 25 at the age of 87; his death was confirmed by The New York Times, where he had worked for 40 years.
A 2010 documentary about him, Bill Cunningham New York, introduced him to a wider audience, going on to win best documentary at several film festivals, including the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
The film sought to show Cunningham's extraordinary ability to capture the new and the emerging in fashion. As American Vogue editor Anna Wintour explained, he had a knack to "see something – on the street or on the runway – that completely missed all of us". The filming itself was a difficult process for Cunningham, who was reluctant to allow access to his life, and saw director Richard Press, following him around on a bicycle for a year. "He was using his camera to document not just how people dress, but who we are," Press explained to the Los Angeles Times.
Cunningham moved to New York from Boston at the age of 19, and began working first as a milliner, then later a fashion writer for Women's Wear Daily. By the late 1960s he had turned his hand to photography, keen to capture the style of everyday people in the city around him. Drawn to a sense of panache – regardless of budget – he was fascinated by those who know instinctively how to put a look together.
His photographs caught the attention of The New York Times and, in 1978, he started work for the Style Section. His weekly columns documenting the endless variations of fashion quickly became must-reads.
His column On The Streets focused on street fashion from around New York, while his second column, Evening Hours, centred on the outfits at the numerous charity events that make up New York society life.
Although he attended glittering events almost every night, he preferred to keep the focus on his subject, declining even offers of water. In contrast, those attending all clamoured to be photographed by Cunningham. As Wintour explained, “We all dressed for Bill.”Choosing to ignore the trappings of his fame, he lived in a studio in Carnegie Hall, ate breakfast at the same deli everyday and tore up cheques from the magazine he helped launch in 1982.
Yet his fame caught up with him. He was awarded the Legion of Honor by France in 2008, while 2009 saw him declared a Living Landmark in New York.
It is hard to underestimate the effect Cunningham had on fashion. As well as giving rise to the genre now known as 'Street style' photographer, and which gave rise to blogging, Cunningham tirelessly captured the good and the bad of fashion. Every look, every suit, dress and accessory were caught on film. Some figures were his favourites, and to who he returned again, and again, One such was Anna Piaggi, creative consultant for Italian Vogue. Another was Iris Apfel, who he discovered at the age of 82. The Hollywood Reporter likened Cunningham to an ornithologist, who "used his camera like a notepad, keeping careful tabs on every genus, phylum and species of stylish bird".
However, perhaps it is the words of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio that best sum up Cunningham: “Today we lost a Living Landmark, not that he ever stood still. Let’s all be more fabulous in Bill’s memory.”
smaisey@thenational.ae
Results:
Women:
1. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) 322.95 points
2. Lysanne Richard (CAN) 285.75
3. Ellie Smart (USA) 277.70
Men:
1. Gary Hunt (GBR) 431.55
2. Constantin Popovici (ROU) 424.65
3. Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR) 392.30
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
