Paul Gorman is…

John Cooper Clarke, Generation X, Johnny Moped, Punch The Clock and Vinyl Factory: 5 x Barney Bubbles badges

Aug 23rd, 2022

//Suit jacket + tie: Mark Powell; tab collared polka dot shirt Simon James Cathcart//

Get your Barney Bubbles Button badge set from the Barney Bubbles online shop.

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Sartorial Style on Saturday: Talking about The Face, in conversation with Mark Powell, Samurai rogues + merchant dandies, Adam Murray on North, Roy Strong’s wardrobe and real men DO wear pink!

Mar 15th, 2017

//I’ll be in conversation with Soho tailor Mark Powell at 2pm. Photo: Mark Powell//

//And talking about The Face from 3pm. This issue: Clinton McKenzie by Jamie Morgan/Ray Petri (Buffalo), June 1985 //

Sartorial Style is on this Saturday at the V&A and looks to be a humdinger.

The day of talks, q&as and presentations considers centuries of male style and elegance and also explores contemporary men’s fashion, bringing together curators, academics, photographers, writers and designers.

Sartorial Style kicks off with Real Men DO Wear Pink!, an investigation into masculine style up until 1800 by Susan North, the V&A’s curator of 17th & 18th Century fashion.

//Sir Roy Strong at the V&A, May 20, 1987. Photo: Peter Dazeley/Getty//

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Look sharp! In conversation with Mark Powell at Sartorial Style at the V&A, 2pm, Saturday, March 18

Mar 5th, 2017

Later this month I will be in conversation with British menswear legend Mark Powell at the V&A’s Sartorial Style day.

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À la mod: My piece for The Guardian on the enduring appeal of Mod

Aug 13th, 2015

guardmod

From the SS16 menswear collections to the people flocking to Somerset House’s current celebration of The Jam, the aesthetic of “clean living under difficult circumstances” (as summarised by The Who’s first manager, Pete Meaden) is at one with what’s happening now in fashion…

Read the rest of my piece – with quotes from Dylan Jones of GQ/London Collections: Men, Soho tailor Mark Powell and Man About Town’s Ben Reardon – on the enduring appeal of Mod here.

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Scenes from the launch of The Look in Soho 2006: Boy George, Pippa Brooks, Mark Powell, Kevin Rowland et al

Feb 28th, 2013

This film by Rik and Jane Gadsby of the May 2006 London launch of the second edition of my book The Look has just been posted online; it really evokes the good time that everyone had that night.

Pippa Brooks and her band All About Eve Babitz played and DJs included George O’Dowd.

The party was held at the premises of Raymond Revuebar, which by that time was Two II Much (dunno what it is these days). I was very touched when Kevin R. talked about how important he viewed the book and my work. “This is our culture,” he says in the clip above.

Enjoy.

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Smiles all round at the Tommy Roberts book launch

Jun 23rd, 2012

//Clockwise from top: With Joe + Duke Brooks; Jimmy Page + Jeff Dexter; Joe, Duke + Pippa Brooks with Tommy Roberts; Caz Facey with...J+D! These photos: Pippa Brooks.//

There were big smiles for Tommy Roberts at the midsummer’s eve party to celebrate the publication of my new book Mr Freedom – Tommy Roberts: British Design Hero.

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SXSW installations: The look of music

Mar 16th, 2012


If you’re in Austin TX – and there’s a chance you might be since hundreds of thousands of people have descended on the city for the annual SXSW film/music/interactive conflab taking place there this week – try and nip along to the Ray Ban Legendary Visions house at 78 Rainey Street on the eastside for a gander at the room collages/installations I have engineered to reflect my take on the look of music.

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Interview for ARTE documentary on British music’s scenemakers

Dec 6th, 2011
ARTE crew setting up in basement for interview for look of British music doc.

//TV crew sets up in the basement.//

Yesterday I was visited by a camera crew for an interview about the behind-the-scenes individuals who have made the difference to British popular music over the years.

The team, from Kobalt Productions in Berlin, are producing the documentary for Franco-German arts channel ARTE. The director is Simon Witter, who has a fine pedigree in journalism and broadcasting.

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Blokes Of Britain: Kevin Rowland

Nov 7th, 2011
kev-dsmdx3

//12"x10"s from Don't Stand Me Down shoot, 1985.//

NAME: Kevin Rowland

RESIDES: London

OCCUPATION: Dexys

Kevin Rowland is a very dapper gent. This is a truth acknowledged by all right-thinking people.

And Kevin is his own man. How many of us can say that?

He is also something of an artist, one whose connection to his muse is unadulterated by commercial concern or critical pressure. I can’t wait for the new Dexys record, which will be out in 2012.

I covered the stylistic changes Kevin rang through earlier Dexys incarnations – from stevedore to Ivy League – in THE LOOK.

Today Kevin answers the Blokes Of Britain questionnaire, providing an opportunity to present some of his looks – including rare and previously unpublished images – past and present:

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Blokes Of Britain: Count Indigo

Sep 1st, 2011

Palais de Tokio, Paris Feb 2006. Suit in cavalry twill by Muller Wipperfurth.

I am proud to count Bruce Marcus, the man who is Count Indigo, as a firm friend. We have known each other for many years but familiarity has not blunted my admiration for his singular style one whit.

A keen sports participant and observer, one of the first pieces of information Bruce imparted to me was that he always wore a suit to watch football (I can’t remember his team, but sure he continues to strike an imposing figure on the terraces whatever their fortunes).

Bruce also confided that one of his peccadilloes is to shave en route when taking a journey by train (in homage to Cary Grant in North By Northwest). Naturally.

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