PartyLines- photographs by Patrick McMullan

What’s the trend you’re seeing tonight? “I think beautifully dressed women! Look at them! They’re the ones that should be getting the award, not me.” —BILL CUNNINGHAM

—ANNA WINTOUR (Brad Barket/Getty Images)

You used to crash Paris fashion shows when you were a student? “I think it’s a standard thing. You obviously wanted to go to the Paris shows, and you weren’t invited. So, you know, you had to pretend you were assisting a model, you were a model’s agent, you were a hairdresser, you were working with the makeup artist. We got very, very inventive.” —HAMISH BOWLES (Brad Barket/Getty Images)

—CHIU-TI JANSEN

—LESLIE ZIFF

Do you remember your first time meeting Bill Cunningham? “I recall very fondly the first time many, many years ago that he called me ‘child.’ I think that’s what he calls anybody who’s his junior. And that’s what I’ve been called by him ever since.” —SARAH JESSICA PARKER

—OSCAR DE LA RENTA

Do you have a favorite Bill Cunningham moment? “He actually shot my mother. Just by a fluke, in the early 1980s on the street. She was wearing short denim shorts, like Daisy Duke denim shorts, and a jean shirt, and I think a black, leather fanny pack. I remember seeing it when I was like 4 or 5 years old in the paper.” —DJ CASSIDY (Jason Merritt/Getty Images for VEVO)

—MERCEDES BASS

—LUCIA HWONG GORDON

Have you ever had to do something really crazy for a photo shoot? “I try to stay in control at photo shoots. If you’re not careful, you can get caught up with a photographer asking you to do some things. And before you know it, you look at it and you go, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I unbuttoned my shirt.’” —GAYLE KING (Brad Barket/Getty Images)

—DR. LISA AIRAN

—ADRIENNE ARSHT

What do you think of Bill Cunningham’s personal style? “Mr. Cunningham is an extraordinary ambassador of just not only style, but an ambassador of what gentleman civility is, what civility is, what a gentleman is, what class is. He is class.” —ANDRé LEON TALLEY

—ALEXANDRA LEBENTHAL

—MUFFIE POTTER ASTON

What are your plans once La Traviata wraps at the Met? “I’ll be happy to go back home for one day. That’s all I need. I will change my luggage and prepare to take off again.” —DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY (Dave Benett/G80/Getty Images)