Bill Cunningham: The Last Word?

Bill Cunningham has an interesting take on the whole Raf Simons v. Hedi Slimane kerfuffle that I believe is worth considering.

In particular, he addresses the press build-up and the chilly reception that greeted Slimane's collection which he dubbed "an enormously elegant redo of Saint Laurent's signature style". Suggesting that the critics were especially harsh towards Slimane for reasons other than the actual merit of his clothes, he had this to say:

"And yet there was a revolution at both houses. The designers took back their authority, presenting clothes that women might actually buy and wear, instead of eye-popping spectacles for the press, which has dominated the front row for decades, with the buyers often relegated to the second row."

I tend to put more stock in Mr. Cunningham's opinions than others partly because he's been at it longer than almost any fashion critic out there (with the exception perhaps of the IHT's Suzy Menkes). More importantly, Mr. Cunningham has over the years scrupulously maintained an arm's length relationship with brands and designers alike. In his own word's "If you don't take their money, they can't tell you what to do. That's the key to the whole thing." That sets him in a class virtually by himself. For this reason, I'm inclined to give him the last word. It's a brief article well worth the read.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Comments

[Helene]

While I have a deep respect for the NYT generally, I would be inclined to beieve that it is Bill being Bill. He's my hero.

Helene

[petya]

He is so principled in his work! He will go to a dinner event and won't even eat a piece of fish! I don't know if that's the NYTimes or just Bill being Bill.