A set of fashion insiders gathered at Bergdorf Goodman Wednesday night for a cocktail party celebrating the legacy of photographer Bill Cunningham. Cunningham, known for his brilliant street style photography, bicycle with which he wended about Manhattan, and his iconic blue jacket, is the subject of not one but two new creative endeavors. Bergdorf Goodman brought both together for a chic evening soirée.
Author and filmmaker Mark Bozek recently released a book published by Rizzoli New York titled “The Battle of Versailles: The Fashion Showdown of 1973.” Bozek joined to sign copies of his new photography book, which features behind-the-scenes photographs by Bill Cunningham and Jean-Luce Huré at the famed 1973 face-off between American and French fashion designers. Fashion editors, influencers, and collectors lined up at Bergdorf Goodman for their own signed copy of the book. Included among the crowd was Pat Cleveland, who wrote the introduction to the book and herself is featured on the cover.
The second Bill Cunningham homage of the night was the presentation of Sacai’s new Cunningham-inspired collection. T-shirts and hoodies with Cunningham quotes were on display, as was Sacai’s new jacket inspired by Cunningham, sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman and on display in the Manhattan department store’s window. The chic blue jacket was worn by several guests at the party. Sacai’s Chitose Abe attended the event wearing a Sacai t-shirt printed with a Bill Cunningham quote, “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.”
The party itself was hosted at Goodman’s Bar at Bergdorf Goodman, an apotheosis of style in New York City. Guests dressed up in sundry black and white ensembles, punctuated every so often by a blue work jacket inspired by Cunningham. Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo recalled fond memories of Cunningham, telling Vogue, “We all became very tight. Bill basically lived on the perch of 5th Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets. Bill was always there. He loved creativity, especially if it was related to fashion. We were always there in the windows, and Bill was one of our greatest fans. It felt like we lived together on 5th Avenue.”
