TRENDING: BILL CUNNINGHAM

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bill Cunningham he paved the way for revered street style photographers like Scott Schulman (aka The Sartorialist) and Tamu McPherson (All the Pretty Birds).  If you admire snapshots of pedestrians in their thoughtfully assembled dress, captured because of their moxie and assumed point of view and or skill, then you owe their images to Bill Cunningham.

Picture courtesy of The New York Times

Bill's writing and later images of women like you and me and fashion icons including Anna Wintour, Iris Apfel, Brook Astor and dozens more have been published in The Chicago Tribune, Women's Wear Daily, Details and The New York Times since the 1960's.  A while back I tweeted a Bill Cunningham quote from "Bill Cunningham New York", the documentary chronicling his career and creative process: "A lot of people have taste, but they don't  have the daring to be creative..."  This quote points to the spirit of street style.  In its most exciting form it is the antithesis of conformist.  Also, in my opinion, Bill's statement touches on the the elements that make fashion brilliant--innovation and expression of unique, creative perspectives.

Bill's name has been popping up everywhere lately--I've wanted to write this story for well over a month--and I think it's due time that you hear about him because of two timely reasons.  First, New York Fashion Week is around the corner so you will be inundated with images and critiques of what editors, buyers, models, photographers, street style aficionados, socialites and other fashion show attendees are wearing AND the designers and their wares that grace the catwalk for Fall/Winter 2012.  Delightful!  Second, the documentary I mention above will be widely released in the UK on March 16th (run to see it my UK readers!!!).  It's already available in the US on DVD.

In the spirit of Bill, I wanted to share some of my fave looks from the Spring 2012 collections for their chutzpah and je ne sais quoi, but I thought I'd save that for a follow up post and for now share a street style picture of yours truly shot for Racked NY in October 2011.

  

Feel free to share your thoughts!  I may take pics of each piece I wore so you can see them in all their glory at some point later.  In the meantime, be free and self express!