Fashion Bulletin: The "Fashion Climbing" In The Eyes Of Street Patrons

Fashion Bulletin: the "fashion climbing" in the eyes of street patrons

Liu Qiudi: in the new Bill Cunningham autobiography "fashion climber", the street patrons mercilessly criticize the speculators who rely on clothes to climb branches in the social field.

Anna Warren, editor in chief of the American edition of Vogue magazine, has a famous saying: "we are all dressed up for Bill."

This Bill is the fashion photographer Bill Cunningham of the New York Times who died in 2016.

The visual history of American social scene

Bill Cunningham was famous for his weekly "two columns" in the New York Times magazine: the street records the fashion trends he found on the streets of New York, and the evening is a whirlwind report of charitable organizations gathering in the upper class.

There is a beautiful contradiction between the two: the former is a popular portrait of the common people, while the latter is a celebrity figure in the spotlight.

A recent book called "fashion climbing" has revived memories of Cunningham in the American fashion world.

This Cunningham's autobiography did not see the sun until he was behind him.

In New York, "climbing the society" and "climbing your circle" are often used to describe the excessively high social ambitions of "climbing up the branches". They try their best to make contacts with dignitaries in order to climb to the top of the social class.

Cunningham created New York's circle with his photography: the typical formula of the American celebrities on Sunday morning is to search the layout of the fashion to see if his social figure is captured by Bill.

Since the death of his old man, the social party in New York has lost a real soul.

Once, even at the age of 80, Canin's skinny figure was the symbol of New York's top social circle: a bicycle, a uniform blue jacket of a French Porter, and one or two cameras hanging from the neck.

The fashion world regards him as a God: his camera captures the pulse of this age with a precision and sensitive antenna. Designers, stylists, retailers and fashion editors devoutly read his column and get inspiration from it.

Cunningham worked in the New York Times for nearly 40 years, leaving a huge archive worth $1 million, representing the visual history of New York in the past half century.

He spent his whole life taking pictures of unexpected everyday people, celebrities and fashions.

He doesn't like people posing for pictures or wearing borrowed clothes.

The advent of "fashion climbing" has a wonderful partner: the 73 minute documentary "Bill Cunningham era" written and directed by Mark cook. It has just appeared in the premiere of the fifty-sixth New York Film Festival.

This carefully edited and fast-paced movie is narrated by Sarah Jessica Parke, which highlights the character of Cunningham more than the 2010 documentary "Bill Cunningham's New York".

Poetcke's film originated from an interview with Cunningham in 1994. His original purpose was to serve as a short film for the fashion media awards of the CFDA. When Cunningham won the prize, he put on his bicycle with his amulet and boarded the stage to make the scene a great joy.

In 1994, bocke suddenly received a call from Cunningham, saying, "I hate to disturb you. I got this stupid CFDA prize. Would you mind coming over to take a one minute interview video for me?" and then Cunningham talked for 4 hours before the camera.

When the news of Cunningham's death was posted on Instagram, he went into his basement to find out the first movie that he had reviewed for the first time in 20 years.

The main style of this film is Cunningham's retrospective images of his personal experience, combined with a large number of photographic archives of Cunningham, and images and video clips that describe the background of the time. It seems to be a dynamic illustration of "fashion climbing".

In the film, Cunningham said his main focus and goal is to seek great style.

He is not interested in celebrities or Hollywood, and refutes the personal style of many stars, including Elizabeth Tel, Leslie Caron and Joan Crawford. The only exception is Gloria Swanson.

He did not think that the Duchess of Windsor had an extraordinary personal style, though he liked the Duke's charming personality very much.

For him, New York's swan girl, "babe Perry" and Jacqueline Kennedy onnaris, represent high tastes and great styles. They are loyal customers of the new fashion house, the gnon family.

Cunningham worked in the home of the new family of agriculture, and the household of namon was authorized to replicate European famous brands for the love of New York ladies, selling highly modeled Chanel, Givenchy and Dior.

His clients in 1950s included Marilyn Monroe, Kathleen Hepburn, and his first lady Jacqueline Powell.

When President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, at the request of Jacqueline Kennedy, Cunningham dyed a red Balenciaga Paris family into black, becoming the historical mourning she spread to the whole world through television.

The beginning of "fashion climbing" is a "heart creation" event. It is also the earliest memory of Cunningham for fashion:

"I was there, wearing my sister's prettiest clothes when she was 4 years old.

Women's clothes always make my imagination more stimulating.

In the summer of 1933, when my back was fixed on the wall of the dining room, my eyes were splashed with tears on the pink dress. My mother hit me like a Hellboy, and threatened to interrupt every bone if I dared to wear a girl's clothes again.

Harvard dropout from a conservative family

Cunningham grew up in a strict Catholic family in the suburbs of Boston.

He later said that his interest in fashion began with the church: "I can never concentrate on Sunday's Church mass because I will concentrate on the ladies' hat."

In childhood, Cunningham's interest in fashion, not football, made his parents feel extremely embarrassed.

He first worked as a tally laborer in a high-end shop in Boston, bwitt teller department store. When he was a freshman, he wanted to pursue his passion for fashion and quit school from Harvard University. His parents were baffled.

He quarreled with his parents for a month, and finally reluctantly agreed to let him complete his wish to make a break in New York, hoping that he would return to Boston in less than a month because he was too lonely.

Cunningham dropped out in 1948, moved to New York at the age of 19, and worked in the New York store in bunwitt teller, this time in the advertising department.

Before long, he quit his job and made a hat with the brand of William J.

He turned to be a fashion reporter in early 60s.

In the late 70s, Cunningham began to write freelance for the New York Times.

In his conservative family's view, Cunningham's pursuit of fashion is "no business." in his life, he never felt that his family really accepted him.

Perhaps because of this, he chose not to publish his autobiography before he died.

After the death of Cunningham, his family discovered the manuscript of "fashion climbing". This secret memoir outlines the journey of the fashion world before he became famous.

"Yes, I am almost ashamed to say that I have never felt lonely in my life.

Life in New York is like a comet that sweeps across the sky to me.

Until today, my favorite pastime is watching people.

This is one of the greatest education in life.

In his book, Cunningham talked about the constraints and influence of his family education: "when a family does not know their children's direction and guides them to their natural orientation, it is a crime."

All these crazy ideas of mine may frighten my poor family, so they strike hard at every step I take.

There are many things that American society needs to know about children's natural creation desire. Parents should stop being ashamed of art, and this kind of men who love ballet, opera and design are sissy ideas, causing more unfortunate families to break up.

If parents are willing to accept every child's nature from God, and stop forcing children to adapt to their expectations, the country will lose half of the mentally ill.

In 1950, Cunningham got the conscription order. He was frustrated by the fact that he had to leave his fashion career. But he was optimistic in nature. Even worse, he could see the bright spot.

So he immediately began to dream of being sent to France, and began to learn French. His soldier's helmet was wrapped in floral ornaments.

Many of the soldiers in the army were pferred to Asia to participate in the Korean War. I did not expect him to be sent to Germany. Later, it was a coincidence that a few French words were actually sent to France for two years.

He took a lot of fashion shows in Paris to satisfy his inner passion.

"These trips are undoubtedly an opportunity for me to get in touch with different lifestyles throughout my life, and also the real reason for fashion: designers have gained insight by understanding the daily habits and work life of women around the world.

Everyone can see beautiful clothes and reproduce them with different fabrics. But real designers will have a deeper understanding of the original origin of clothing design and discover the real spirit.

Like looking at art in an international museum, you do not want to copy it, but to see the essence of the artist's creation.

The most difficult thing in design is that designers get rid of others' influence and go through long and difficult years.

Their life is a constant setback because they know deep down that they have not been released from copying, and that their personal signature has never been born.

That's why there are so few genuine originators in any era. Most designers are just stylists or excellent editors.

By Cunningham's photo in the New York Times, fashion style does not depend on money or status, thereby democratizing fashion.

For him, "style" is more important than fashion.

Cunningham fashion education coincides with the golden age of the post-war era in the United States.

From 1945 to 1970, when the United States was recognized as the most powerful and invincible nation, the explosive force of American society created a new "precious circle", which was not smooth until 70s.

During World War II, the American society experienced great changes in wealth, making half the names of the upper social lists poor.

Cunningham assessed the changes of American society with his sharp eyes: the fashion in 1930s and 1940s revolved around the film, and the fashion in 1950s and 1960s was inspired by society.

With the birth of Kristen Dior's "new style" in 1947, "fashion climbing" has replaced "social climbing".

The "invaders" who try to rebuild the upper social order in fashion will introduce more attractive feathers on the circus table every year.

In 1958, the old Fu who tried to maintain the old order successfully counterattacked and wore the first pure gold bead dress to confront the invaders' gauze and brocade.

Bonnet Designer

I think another reason why Cunningham did not want to publish this autobiography was his honest criticism of the American social circle.

"In all the wonderful parties you read, 85% of the guests will not enjoy themselves, instead of rubbing up and climbing up and showing off their wealth," wrote the famous observer of New York Times fashion week.

These poor devil came out of town not for relaxation and fun, but as a challenge that only army generals knew in battle.

Oh, how I longed to return to my young age, when women dressed in dresses, just for pure pleasure and pleasing their friends.

The 1950s prelude to the charity evening in New York was closely related to the national power of the United States and evolved into the unique tradition of the United States / New York. No other city in the world has such frequent high-end social activities, nor does it have an ecology closely linked to charity and commerce.

And Cunningham became the traditional witness and recorder.

But Cunningham looked at the social competition and pretense behind the splendid clothes. He expressed his disdain for "climbing the world with fashion."

"The main reason for me to start my own business is to bring happiness to the world by letting women become inspiration for themselves and witnesses.

I hope fashion brings happiness, but my God, I am just an idealist! My journey is full of thorns. Women want to show off in fashion with friends in fashion circles instead of just enjoying them.

Social climbing has always been the competition of New York society in 1930s and 1940s, when the luxurious nightclub became a private amusement park.

I immediately felt that the new game was fashionable.

Because we do not have the king and queen of the United States, nor the Duchess of Texas and Duke of Broolyn, so there is only one possible difference in social class: fashion.

However, Cunningham found his aesthetics incompatible with the trend of American fashion: "my design, Taiyuan," (elegant ladies) is afraid of being criticized and considered to be from the slums.

The path of true creators is a long and difficult road. At first, there is hardly any reward.

It's a fierce battle, but it's worth thinking about creating what you really believe in, which makes the fashion ladder a gateway to heaven.

I think Canin Hanson has conflicting contradictions between the two poles, just like his two column: on the one hand, he longs for absolutely exquisite fashion. These exquisite and perfect works need to be provided with a lot of wealth; but on the other hand, he has a completely democratic view of fashion, which is why he became the ancestor of street shooting.

In the end, he decided to turn off the hat business because the ladies wore the hat, but the ladies in the hat usually had a conservative attitude towards fashion.

"By 1960, I knew the bonnet industry was out of date.

I can still earn my living on elderly women wearing hats, but I think this is not a day for ambitious me.

Not to mention that I have been in conflict with my clients, they want boring, boring hat, and I want to create new shapes continuously.

We cannot tolerate fire. "

"What do neighbors think?" Cunningham's parents were obsessed with such problems.

Although this mentality has captured the Catholic family in the suburb of Boston, the pride of New York's heroes has often made the same flock mentality: "what do neighbors think?"

"No one will go for bottled taste.

This is your natural feeling, if you are smart, like a rare flower, through life to cultivate. "

Cunningham has been fighting between "original" and "copy".

He did not design the process of the bonnet until the autumn Series in 1955, and felt that the inner self was released from the influence of the outside world. This revelation has gone through a rather awkward process, but he will never be grateful.

At that time, the prominent position of the New York Times in the fashion layout was a picture showing Cunningham's design of a saw tooth cap. On the same page, there was also a famous designer Adolf's work. The zigzag hat border was an idea of Cunningham's hat design from Adolf's last season.

Cunningham recalls his embarrassment when he saw the design of his "plagiarism" in parallel with the originator: "anyway, when I saw the hat with my name on it, I felt very ashamed and humiliated, and I vowed never to be influenced by others again, no matter how many of my own ideas failed.

From now on, I just want to express my deep feelings and thoughts.

From that moment on, I was released. From that day on, I enjoyed the happiness that no hell could destroy on earth.

I created the best hat, and I often predicted the trend in Paris a few years ago.

Only when designers escape from imitation can they design the inner things that they were completely ignorant of before.

That's why I never believe in the so-called professional opinion because most of them don't know what a good idea is before they sell their seats.

Cunningham thinks that the mentality of following suit is the greatest weakness of the American design community. Buyers and media often do not recognize new ideas in smaller brands, but instead regard them as monsters until they see the creativity of small brands being copied by big designers.

Once Cunningham displayed the design of the spring hat, which was blooms from the top of the head, and the buyer of the shop stepped out of Cunningham's shop and screamed, "funny! Use your talent to prostitute!" but a month later, the top shops in Paris showed similar designs. "I still keep their crazy telegrams, urging me to hasten the so-called" ridiculous ideas "to the shop.

Even with the growth of business, Cunningham thought that the hat of his masterpiece had never been widely accepted.

The trouble seems to be that these designs seem too "avant-garde", two years or more ahead of their contemporaries, and people are not yet ready for these ideas.

Cunningham contrasts the timeliness of design with the stock market. "Time is one of the most important components of design. It is exactly the same as the stock market in Wall Street.

Fashion designer Norman Norrell has the perfect sense of timing. He knows when the public is ready to accept a new idea.

I have been observing him for a long time, which is one of his main contributions to the fashion industry.

For me, I never care about the timing, and never understand what it means.

In fact, I'm always happy with the amazing advanced ideas, which is absolutely not good for business. "

"Like any business, there is a small group of courteous and courteous customers that make life more valuable.

Unfortunately, 65% of the women who buy high fashion are like the stars and stripes bitches, and are never satisfied. They try to play tricks on the price, and the cheaper the better, they demand the best quality and three times service.

One of the hurdles of high fashion is that it attracts the most ambitious social Champions: showy, snobbish, paranoid and egotistical.

These women think they are "social", but I think they are the edge of false social networking. They are the top killer of high fashion industry.

"Sometimes I even fear myself to accept my subconscious inspiration, for fear of being laughed at, but no matter how wild or vulgar an idea is in its design, there will be someone in the same mind in five years.

My advice to anyone who is creative is to never shrink back.

When Cunningham was alive, I was honored to appear in his report more than 10 times.

I was surprised to find that there were so many people that my friends who had never thought of were concerned about his column.

I often have a chance to chat with him on social occasions.

Every time he sees me, he calls me "child".

After the death of Cunningham, the first New York Fashion Week

Nearly 100 photographers and videotapes collectively wear the blue jacket of Cunningham's landmark French gatehouse to pay tribute to the departed predecessor.

What impressed me most was that in 2012, Cunningham won the Lifetime Achievement Medal of the Carnegie concert hall.

At the awarding ceremony at the Waldorf Hotel, the invitation said, "please dress for Bill".

For a few moments, I saw Cunningham not wearing his blue jacket, but a black and white banquet.

When I stood next to Cunningham, suddenly the spectators of the crowd watched the twinkling glare of lights.

The photo became the headline of the Wall Street journal, New York magazine and other media the next day.

For me, beyond the aura of the trophy, that is the real Bill, the low-key and wonderful Cunningham I know, the truly outdated fashion: selfless devotion, concentration on my work.