Something of a legend in 70s British boutique circles, here is Harold The Ted in all his glory accompanying one of the extravagant display items at Mr Freedom in Kensington Church Street: a 10 foot tall cut-out representation of a glowering boy scout made by Electric Colour Company’s Rod Stokes.
Continue reading The legendary Harold The Ted + one of Mr Freedom’s ‘monstrous oddities’
Here’s another gem from Herb Schmitz’s photographic goldmine: model Ika Hindley at west London restaurant Julie’s in an early 70s shoot for Dutch agency Kippa.
Continue reading 70s fashion: Ika in Ossie + Celia by Herb – but whose are the shoes?
Harpers & Queen ran this photograph of the short-lived but significant World’s End boutique Paradise Garage in the Shopping Bazaar section of the September 1971 issue.
Continue reading “I’m very earthy”: Trevor Myles and his Paradise Garage in Harpers & Queen 1971
Designer Pamla Motown – cherished for her contributions to 70s fashion with a run of sensational designs for Mr Freedom and under her own labels – is back with a new version of her graphic “Artist” T-shirt.
Continue reading Pamla Motown returns with a new version of The Artist T-shirt
As a follow-up to my recent post about the rarely seen 1975 interview with Malcolm McLaren in soft porn mag Gallery International, here is another exclusive: for the first time since publication in June 1976, the full article featuring McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s shop SEX in British sex guide Forum.
This morning I’m in conversation with designer Antony Price as part of London’s Fashion & Textile Museum’s programme of events relating to its current Pop! Design Culture Fashion exhibition.
We’ll be talking about Antony’s career in the context of the British art school influence on these areas of popular culture. My visual presentation will also reference the work of others who emerged from the art school system, including design entrepreneur Tommy Roberts – the subject of my new book – and artist/designers John Dove and Molly White.
As a tribute to Roberts, London vintage queen Deborah Woolf is displaying this rare, stunning design from the first version of his and Trevor Myles’ pop art boutique Mr Freedom, at 430 King’s Road: a stars and stripes kimono-style dress.
Pop! Design Culture Fashion is on until October 27. Details here.
Tomorrow (October 11) is the publication date of The Look Of London, my map collaboration with the pre-eminent modern guide-makers Herb Lester Associates.
“This map is a reminder that London, with all its individuality and character, is still very exciting,” writes Paul Smith in the foreword; he opened at 44 Floral Street WC2 in 1979.
Time to put away the books, mags, newspapers, pamphlets, catalogues and other materials used as reference for the map The Look Of London, which is published later this week by Herb Lester Associates.
Continue reading The Look Of London: Research materials for new map with Herb Lester Associates
“One day, ‘Carnaby Street’ could rank with ‘Bauhaus’ as a descriptive phrase for a design style and design legend.”
Ken and Kate Baynes, Design, August 1966.
Today is the seventh anniversary of Westminster Council’s dedication of a plaque in Carnaby Street to the late fashion retailer John Stephen, the 60s media darling dubbed “The £1m Mod” for his entrepreneurial success and flamboyant lifestyle (houses in Cannes and Milan, a white Alsatian named Prince who dined with him at his regular table at Mirabelle).
Continue reading John Stephen: Progenitor of a custom-built design movement
On October 17 I’m hosting the opening session of the Pop! Design Study Day at London’s Fashion & Textile Museum.
The event is part of the FTM’s Pop! Design Culture Fashion exhibition and I’ll be kicking off proceedings in conversation with John Dove & Molly White, Antony Price and Tommy Roberts.