Bill Cunningham
Biography
Bill Cunningham was an American fashion photographer known for candid street images in The New York Times. Born in Boston, he briefly attended Harvard University, dropped out, and moved to New York City, where he designed women's hats under the name William J. He later wrote about fashion for Women's Wear Daily and the Chicago Tribune. A 1978 photograph of Greta Garbo brought him to the attention of the Times, and he reported there from 1978 to 2016. His columns On the Street and Evening Hours treated clothing as personal expression, not celebrity spectacle. In 1978 he published Facades. The documentary Bill Cunningham New York (2010) profiled him and received Best Documentary nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards, the Directors Guild of America, and the Producers Guild of America. The Council of Fashion Designers of America chose him as outstanding photographer of the year in 1983, and in 2008 the French Ministry of Culture gave him an arts award.
87years old at death
- Born Boston
- Died New York City
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Also credited as William John Cunningham Jr., William J. Cunningham Jr., William Cunningham Jr., William John Cunningham and William Cunningham
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 7 years2010 to 2017
Every film, newest first
- 2017Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & DiscoIMDb rating 6.8
- 2016The First Monday in MayIMDb rating 7.1
- 2014IrisIMDb rating 7.1
- 2010Bill Cunningham New YorkIMDb rating 7.9
Genres
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A first
In a 1989 essay for Details, Cunningham became the first person to use the word "deconstructionism" in relation to fashion.
Early training
Cunningham was a self-taught photographer who began shooting candid street fashion while writing for Women's Wear Daily and the Chicago Tribune.
Big break
In December 1978, Cunningham published impromptu pictures in The New York Times. They grew into the regular series On the Street, and his editor Arthur Gelb called the photographs a turning point for the paper.
Behind the camera
Cunningham wrote fashion criticism and photo essays for Details. He started with six pages in the magazine's first issue in March 1985, later rising to many more, and for a time he also owned part of the magazine.
Bill Cunningham movies on Netflix
Worked with
Bill Cunningham shares two films with Anna Wintour, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Anna Wintour's page
Karl Lagerfeld's page
Jessica Lange's page
Patti D'Arbanville's page
Rihanna's page
Michael Chow's page
Richard PressDirector, 1 film, 2010
All films by Richard Press
All films by Albert Maysles
Andrew RossiDirector, 1 film, 2016
All films by Andrew Rossi
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 2008 | Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.