This is designer Ben Kelly at his 1974 degree show at London’s Royal College Of Art.
Kelly adopted the alter-ego The Photo Kid, who is portrayed in the work by which he is standing. The Photo Kid wore clothes – in particular brothel creepers – from Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s shop Let It Rock, as did Kelly; the shoes, pink socks and belt in this photograph all came from there, while the Hopalong Cassidy & Topper top (see Ian Harris’s comment below) was picked up at a Paris flea market.
By this time Kelly had designed the RCA’s Art Bar with fellow student Geoff Hollington and within a few years was developing industrial, high-tech and postmodern themes in designs for Paul Howie’s boutique at 138 Long Acre in Covent Garden, McLaren & Westwood’s Seditionaries, Keith Wainwright’s King’s Road hairdressing salon Smile and, of course, Manchester’s Haçienda nightclub.
Kelly remains at the forefront of his field; BKD is one of Britain’s leading interior design practices.
Ian Harris
June 14, 2013 at 9:52 amNice post Paul. One thing, the t-shirt B.K. is wearing has an image of Hopalong Cassidy and his horse Topper, not Roy Rogers and Trigger. Hoppy was my childhood cowboy hero and I even named my Fox Terrier Topper! Hoppy was famous for wearing Black clothes and a Black hat – just like all the ‘baddies’- when all all the other good guys wore White hats. I even had a Hopalong Cassidy wrist watch, as a kid. More useless info from the desk of Ian Harris. Keep up the good work.
Ian Harris
June 14, 2013 at 10:06 amYou might like my new paintings on – http://www.hurricaneharris.tumblr.com – W.W.2 Fighters.
Paul Gorman Author
June 14, 2013 at 10:09 amGotcha Ian – will amend accordingly.
Paul Gorman Author
June 14, 2013 at 10:09 amWill check out the paintings n all; well done!