Bill Cunningham
Street style photographer for The New York Times (1978 to 2016)
Bill Cunningham was an American photographer who documented how New Yorkers actually dressed, in pictures published by The New York Times from 1978 until his death in 2016. Widely described as the forefather of street style photography, he showed the fashion industry that trends often start on the street rather than the runway.
| Role | Photographer, The New York Times |
|---|---|
| Born | 1929 |
| Died | 2016 |
| Times columns | On the Street (from 1978), Evening Hours (from 1989) |
| Earlier career | Milliner (William J.), WWD and Chicago Tribune writer |
| Honour | Officier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2008) |
Who is Bill Cunningham?
Bill Cunningham (1929 to 2016) was a fashion photographer and journalist best known for his New York Times columns On the Street and Evening Hours. Working on the streets, he photographed people on the pavements of Manhattan, often at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, and turned their clothing into a weekly record of how style changes. The Business of Fashion describes him as the forefather of street style photography.
Career
Before photography, Cunningham worked in fashion itself. In the late 1940s he started a millinery line under the name William J., and after serving in the US Army during the Korean War he became a fashion writer for Women's Wear Daily and the Chicago Tribune.
His candid street pictures were first published by The New York Times in December 1978, and On the Street became a regular feature. In February 1989 he added Evening Hours, a column on charity and society events. Both continued until his death in June 2016 at the age of 87. In 1978 he also published Facades, a book of 128 photographs of historic fashion staged in New York settings, the result of an eight year project.
In 2008 the French Ministry of Culture made him an Officier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The documentary Bill Cunningham New York, directed by Richard Press, was produced in 2010 and released in 2011, bringing his work to a much wider audience.
Influence on the fashion business
Cunningham's method anticipated what the industry now calls trend spotting and consumer insight. By photographing the same locations week after week, he identified patterns in what people wore, often before designers or retailers recognised them. His work influenced the business in several ways:
- It legitimised street style as a source of fashion news and inspiration
- It shifted attention from celebrities to everyday wearers and personal expression
- It created a model for the street style photography that now surrounds every fashion week
- It provided a long, consistent visual archive of how a city dressed over almost four decades
Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, summed up his standing with the remark that 'we all get dressed for Bill', as quoted by The Business of Fashion.
Why it matters
Today, brands track social media, influencers and resale data to understand what customers really wear. Cunningham did a version of this by hand for decades, and his columns remain a reminder that observation of real behaviour is one of the most reliable sources of fashion intelligence. His archive at The New York Times is an unmatched record of the relationship between the runway and the street.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Bill Cunningham?
Bill Cunningham was an American fashion photographer who documented street style for The New York Times from 1978 until his death in 2016. He is widely regarded as the forefather of street style photography.
What was Bill Cunningham's column called?
His best known column was On the Street, which ran in The New York Times from 1978. From 1989 he also photographed society and charity events for the column Evening Hours.