Bill Cunningham New York

The New York Times Style photographer Bill Cunningham is a living legend.  Seeing him on the street or at fashion shows will never cease to excite the fashion flock.  He once took my picture on Fifth Avenue and even though it never made it into the paper, it was still a thrilling moment.   He reminds me of Jeremiah Goodman in that he continues to pursue his lifelong passion at 80.  I'm sure it keeps him young.  It also seems fitting that the new documentary about him is entitled Bill Cunningham New York because he is New York.  The film is the first feature by director Richard Press and it has already won the audience award for best documentary award at the Melbourne International Film Festival. I'm not sure when Bill Cunningham New York will be in the theatres but I'll keep you posted.  Anna Wintour once said, "we all get dressed for Bill." I will definitely continue to dress for Bill in the hopes of catching his eye.  But if I don't, I will be just as excited to catch a glimpse of him.

Avedon: Photographs from The Richard Avedon Foundation

There are so many wonderful events coming up in Paris this fall including Avedon: Photographs from The Richard Avedon Foundation sale at Christie's November 20, 2010.  Over 60 Avedon iconic photographs as well as several unique and extremely rare items will be up for sale.  Proceeds from the sale will initiate The Richard Avedon Foundation’s endowment in support of its philanthropic mission. Usually, photography is a great place to start collecting art but I have a feeling from the estimates that these will be out of most our budgets.  Also, if you can't make it to Paris, I'm happy to report that the photographs will be on view at Christie's in New York October 1-7, 2010.  Elephants sold separately of course.  

Marilyn Monroe, actor, New York, May 6, 1957 (Estimate: $100,000-150,000)

Richard Avedon Self-Portrait, c. 1963 (Estimate: $8,000-12,000)

Top Image: Dovima with elephants, evening dress by Dior, Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, August 1955 (Estimate: $500,000-700,000)

Visite Privée by François Halard

Photographer François Halard recently had an exhibition which was compiled into an accompanying book entitled Visite Privée.   The collection of photographs of artists and their studios include Cy Twombly, Julian Schnabel, Carlos Mollino, Ahn Duong, Richard Avedon, Paul Cezanne, Robert Rauschenberg, and others.  My favorite space is of course Mr. Hallard's own home in Arles, France.  There is a great story in Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People about how he wasn't intending to buy a home but fell in love with its "melancholy spell."  He spent years restoring the home and filled it with many pieces he already owned in storage including the Louis XVI lit a la polonaise canopy bed from the antiquaire Compoglio.  I've included photos from both books here but unfortunately Visite Privée seems to only be available in Europe.  A reason to hop on a plane to Paris if I ever saw one but if that's not possible, you can also check out the rest of the artists online.  À tout à l'heur‎e!

Photos by François Halard

Icons by an Icon

I love how in New York the art isn't always confined to the museums and galleries. Tod’s commissioned the famed photographer Elliott Erwitt to shoot 22 prominent families for its new exhibition called Icons by an Icon. It's also another example of what I like to call stealth marketing. Each photo contains a pair of Tods shoes or a bag but the photos are more about presenting a lifestyle than hitting you over the head with the product which I quite prefer. No word yet if they will be bound into a book like the Italian's photographed for Italian Touch but you can view them at the Tod's boutique on Madison right now. Enjoy!

Photos by Elliott Erwitt for Tod's

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century

I don't normally like to visit museums on bright and sunny days but I may make an exception for the new Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition that opens today at the Museum of Modern Art. Over 300 hundred photographs that span his amazing career will be on view until June 28, 2010. My favorites are his old world views of Europe and his modern look at America. I'd also say that he was the pioneer of today's popular street fashion photography. Can you imagine if Henri Cartier-Bresson had a blog?! I definitely wouldn't wait for a rainy day to see this amazing exhibition!

“It is through living that we discover ourselves, at the same time as we discover the world around us.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1952

"Think about the photo before and after, never during. The secret is to take your time. You mustn't go too fast. The subject must forget about you. Then, however, you must be very quick." — Henri Cartier-Bresson

“Actually, I'm not all that interested in the subject of photography. Once the picture is in the box, I'm not all that interested in what happens next. Hunters, after all, aren't cooks.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

“Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

“The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

“The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

“The photograph itself doesn't interest me. I want only to capture a minute part of reality.” — Henri Cartier-Bresson

Photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson

Etsy Fave: Sharon Montrose

I'm declaring 2010 the year of the bird. Ok, fair enough, when have birds ever NOT been trendy in the design world? This year, however, I think we're going to see a lot more birds of the clunky, quirky variety. No more cutesy robins and nightingales -- I'm thinking haunting owls, cranes, wobbling ducks, hawks, and big fat chickens. I like to think of them as birds with personality.

My favorite source for affordable, stunning bird photography (and lots of other animals, if you're so inclined) is Sharon Montrose, a California-based photographer who's received lots of recognition in the blogosphere, especially for this picture.

I own the owl photo pictured at top, and out of everything in my gallery wall, it is consistently the most commented on. Sharon's work is so surreal that everyone thinks that it's a drawing instead of an actual photograph. I love how the clean white background really puts the focus on the aesthetics of each bird-- from the muted colors, patterns and texture of their feathers to their bumpy, bright beaks and feet. Check out more of Sharon's stuff in her Etsy shop here.

Raymond Loewy Palm Springs House

Raymond Loewy House, Palm Springs, California, USA, Photographed by Peter Stackpole, for LIFE.

If you were close to Raymond Loewy and you were living in Palm Springs in the summer of 1947 you certainly had it made.

The Raymond Loewy House, 600 Panorama Road, Palm Springs, California, was designed by Palm Springs architect Albert Frey. Built in 1946-47 as a bachelor retreat and expanded later when Loewy got married, the house has been restored by metalware manufacturer Jim Gaudineer who said of the design, "When you slide open the glass walls, it's almost like living outdoors." A typical Palm Springs modernist villa with a low-slung pavilion and plenty of glass that provides striking views of desert, mountains, and the pool and garden that make the private oasis complete.