Experience the Times of Bill Cunningham
For New Yorkers, fashion isn’t just clothing—it’s identity. And for decades, a photo by Bill Cunningham was the ultimate mark of style significance. More than a photographer, Cunningham was also New York City’s unofficial fashion historian, capturing style in its purest street-level form. Designed by NBBJ's experience design studio, ESI, Experience the Times of Bill Cunningham reimagines his legacy through a multisensory exhibition that celebrates his life, work, and timeless eye for personal expression.
The 18,000-square-foot installation blends museum and immersive experience, featuring large-scale reproductions of Cunningham’s iconic photographs alongside interactive environments. Visitors ascend a grand staircase where projection mapping transforms their outfits into runway-ready looks, while the soundscape and lighting evoke the pulse of New York’s streets. Video interviews, artifacts and digital experiences weave together the story of a man whose work defined an era.
Features
Visitors ascend a custom-designed staircase where projection mapping reimagines their outfits in real time, paying homage to the earliest fashion shows held on sweeping staircases of private homes. The projection system uses 11 unique patterns across four color palettes, allowing for over 300 combinations that immerse guests in Cunningham’s vision of creative self-expression.
Project Details
Client Name
Live Rocket Studios
Program
Exhibit design
Services
Experience design, exhibit design
Phase
Completed
Client Name
Live Rocket Studios
Program
Exhibit design
Services
Experience design, exhibit design
Phase
Completed
The Creative Factor, "How ESI Design Captured Bill Cunningham’s Relentless Discovery"
Fox5 Good Day New York, "Experience the Times of Bill Cunningham Opens in New York"
Interior Design, "ESI Design Captures the Life and Times of Famed Fashion Shutterbug Bill Cunningham"
TimeOut New York, "NYC’s Massive New Immersive Bill Cunningham Exhibition is a Must-See Event"
The Creative Factor, "How ESI Design Captured Bill Cunningham’s Relentless Discovery"
Fox5 Good Day New York, "Experience the Times of Bill Cunningham Opens in New York"
Interior Design, "ESI Design Captures the Life and Times of Famed Fashion Shutterbug Bill Cunningham"
TimeOut New York, "NYC’s Massive New Immersive Bill Cunningham Exhibition is a Must-See Event"
