For better or worse, Scott Schuman always has an opinion that he has no problem sharing, in tactful or, erm, not-so-tactful ways. When The Sartorialist, himself, spoke to WWD in South Africa, he spoke about Bill Cunningham, a.k.a the beloved father of street style, and Schuman let his ambivalence be known.
“You know, I hate to say it, I’m sure everyone thinks he’s a lovable guy, and I’m sure he is. We’ve never had a conversation. The only conversation we’ve ever had is when I’m trying to shoot someone, and he says, ‘Hey, get out.’"
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Cunningham's own briskness has been well-documented and is mostly attributed to his own obsessive work habits, a fact that Schuman notes. "His only influence has been in the quality of the effort he puts in and the joy — you can literally really see it on his face, the joy that he still has for fashion."
Aww, that's sweet. Maybe Schuman has a soft spot for the be-biked and coated Cunningham underneath his gruff demeanor? Unlikely. Schuman makes it clear that, aside from longevity and his passion for his work, there is nothing that Cunningham has taught the younger photographer. “The only influence he’s had on me is that I want to be doing that when I’m 80. That’s the only thing. I want to be on the bike, I want to be doing that at 80.”
At its core, the work between Schuman and Cunningham is vastly different, a fact that Schuman notes. The only thing they share is a similarity for shooting people, who are dressed in an interesting way, on the street. Schuman does more editorial images, while Cunningham captures more in-the-moment photos, doing reportage instead of style. Which is why, the second that Hurricane Sandy let up, Cunningham hit the streets with his camera...something that feels particularly un-Schuman-like, indeed. (Fashionista)
Photo: Via WWD
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