Fashion Snaps Where History Meets the Present

Bill Cunningham, a milliner and retired serviceman, is considered a pioneer of street fashion photography. Even now at 85, he continues to chase fashionistas and press his shutter in the heart of New York, Paris, and other metropolises.

This exhibition features 88 works based on Cunningham’s project and photo book, “Facades.” “Facades” is a documentary project that captured the fashion history, architecture, and urban characteristics of New York over an eight-year period, beginning in 1968.

For this project, Cunningham gathered over 500 vintage garments from various eras and personally cycled through 1,800 locations across New York City in search of suitable settings. He created “Facades” using backdrops that represent both the “history” and the “present” of New York, from historic buildings to modern landmarks and graffiti-covered subways.

The model for this project was Cunningham’s neighbor, photographer Editta Sherman. The series embodies fashion from different eras, such as a Victorian style coordinating a 18th-century vintage dress with a hat adorned with artificial flowers, and an 18th-century equestrian look styled with a tricorne hat and a wig. Editta Sherman, appearing with a rich array of expressions, exudes a poetic and unique strength alongside the cityscapes in the background.

Currently, Bill Cunningham is actively working on the fashion snap column for The New York Times. We invite you to fully immerse yourself in his early works through this exhibition.

“Bill Cunningham: Facades”
Venue | New-York Historical Society Museum & Library
Dates | March 14 (Fri) – June 15 (Sun)
Hours | 10:00–18:00 (Tue–Thu), 10:00–20:00 (Fri), 11:00–17:00 (Sun)
Closed | Mondays
Admission | Adults $18, Students $12, Children (5–13) $6, Under 4 free
Address | 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024