When Bill Cunningham passed away in June, his photographic legacy was clear: he set the standard for bright and naturalistic fashion street photography. But his sartorial legacy – his blue worker’s jacket – lives on.
At New York Fashion week, his fellow photographers, in a very sweet sartorial nod, paid tribute to him by wearing ink-blue jackets. As the well-told tale goes, Cunningham purchased the French bleu de travail (or “The Bill”), as it became known, after seeing them at a Paris hardware store during Paris Couture week. He liked the fact it came with four pockets because they could carry extra rolls of film. It cost him £15. With the utility-wear shows showing no sign of slowing down, The Bill – a sort of mix between a jean jacket and a nehru, with four pockets and a robust look – has become a signature piece of the trend that prizes sartorial anonymity over flashy. Yes, there are very likable versions by Christophe Lemaire and label NN07, but, sadly, they cost a little bit more than 15 quid.
