Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence Gala

I got the samples in the mail !!  Scroll down to see the full invitation.

I’ve been waiting since January… My image of Bill Cunningham is prominently displayed on the inside cover of the invitation for the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence Gala where he will be honored. The black tie event is at the Waldorf Astoria in April; gala chairs are Annette and Oscar de la Renta and Sarah Jessica Parker. The invitation is built as an 8×8 booklet.

I was so excited when I got the call from Carnegie Hall that they had found and wanted to use my image of Bill for this special event.  My photo will also be used in the ads that will run in the Playbill through March/April.

The photo was taken last summer at the Governors Island Jazz Age Lawn Party which is put on by big band leader Michael Arenella.  Bill was roaming around the dance floor and as he got to the edge, we photographed each other.  I was wearing my favorite 1930s white gown which has a gorgeous print of lilies throughout.  After Bill and I shot each other, he came up to me and whispered in my ear that my dress was “lovely”.  Thrilling !!  However, I didn’t make the cut for his article that ran later that week in the New York Times.  I guess my look was ruined by having a Nikon strapped across my body!

I saw Bill three separate times during fashion week at Lincoln Center recently – and as I quickly said hello to him each time, I never stopped to tell him about the photo – you can’t stop Bill when he’s focused on the next shot! I look forward to the next time I see him in NYC – maybe during my next bike ride.

Congratulations Bill !! – and as one of my friends recently said “We love your Mona Lisa smile”.