Man’s smoke-grey kimono knitted in oriental patterns, rivers and islands fading up sleeves and hem, black to charcoal, ginger to peach. Stripe sash. 30 gns. Child’s plum red tunic in diamond design, purple and pale blue all over, violet and khaki, rose pink and blue on the edge. 5 gns. Woman’s long black kimono with a sky of blue and ginger stars, giant satellites of black, dark brown, plum red and violet circling. Black and grey stripe sash. 30 gns. All by Kaffe Fassett at Beatrice Bellini, 11 West Halkin St.
Fashion constantly starts afresh and now it has travelled far back into the imagination, retuned to the basics of craft and design. Grass roots is the mood for this summer and the look is handwoven, hand painted, handknitted, handstitched. Here is how appliqué was recreated and a shepherd’s smock came in from the fields. How lace came to be painted with butterflies and sewn onto tartan, how knitting grew into something remarkably new.
Illustrations by Antonio
Scanned from Vogue, July 1970.
Peach and green tartan tweed. all set about and frilled with cotton lace tie dyed in the same summer pastels. A long and willowy suit with a long and willowy knife-pleated skirt. By Bill Gibb at Baccarat.
Long peach and golden tie dyed smock of lace, one beautiful big butterfly handpainted on the yoke. And a dress of natural linen billowing yard upon yard. threads drawn out by hand, panels of lace sewn in. All by Bill Gibb at Baccarat. Cotton lace tied and dyed by Valerie Irving. Apron and cap crocheted in string by Kaffe Fassett.
Natural linen shepherd’s smock and trousers. No boyangs but all traditional stuff with thick embroidery, smocking stitch, lazy daisies and paisleys almost everywhere. By Lady Fingers, 50 gns, to order, Countdown
Long grassy gingham dress and a long white cotton apron, pretty as a picture, sewn with birds and hedgerows, greens, pinks, deep dark blues. About 12 gns, 7 gns, to order, Frances Vaughan, 3 Munroe Terrace, S.W.10.
Liz Eggleston 