Italian film star Rossana Podesta returns to the screen, after an absence of two years caused by illness, as Lilia the shapely leading lady of Paolo, il caldo, a study in eroticism written by Vitaliani Brancati. The film, which is set in the Twenties and Thirties, traces the relationship between Lilia and the central character, Paolo – a Sicilian Baron whose main interest in life is women. Before eventually ending her love affair with the sensual Sicilian, Lilia manages to slip through an enticing selection of seductive clothes, until she settles down to a conventional marriage. The clothes, by Tirelli of Rome, one of Italy’s largest theatrical costumiers, are modern interpretations of Twenties and Thirties styles; there are chunky furs, cream coloured foxes, flat berets, apache-type scarves, and saucy old-fashioned lingerie made from satins, laces, ribbons and ostrich fronds.
Photographed by Tazio Secchiaroli.
Scanned from The Sunday Times Magazine, May 13th 1973.
Bronzed sequinned and lame plunged-necked evening blouse with a side-split skirt; a matching beret and a sugar-coloured silk scarf.
A striped dress in beige and brown wool under a dark brown jacket with a red fox collar and cuffs.
Black cami-knickers cut high at the sides to lengthen the look of the legs.
Cream roses, a dress of silk organza, and a luxurious stole of creamy fox furs.
Glamorous funnel-shaped crepe-de-chine sleeveless mid-calf length dress and loose jacket with dipped hem, side pockets and matching triangular scarf (not shown), Monet £21, from Che Guevara, Kensington High Street, W8. Elbow-length evening gloves, D H Evans £2.40; fabric rose, D H Evans £2.20; silk bangles, Gay Designs £2; leather peep-toe shoes, Russell & Bromley £24.99. Cane chaise longue, Biba £52.50.
Make-up by Regis at Biba Beauty Parlour.
Hair by Robin at Ricci Burns.
Photographed by Mike Berkofsky.
Scanned from Honey, March 1975.
Clinging jet black strapless frilled pencil-slim knee-length dress with spotted net drapes and pink tulle rose trim, from a selection starting at £5 at Martha’s Market, Martha Hill, 39 Marylebone High St, Wl. Sparkling sequined pillbox hat, Charles Batten £9.95; black flowered lace, Martin Klein 65p a yard;.long black evening gloves, D H Evans £2.40; mother-of-pearl and gilt compact £8.50, and sequin evening bag £2.05, both from Biba ; carved jet drop earrings, Adrien Mann £2.25.
Sensational pink morocaine dress with floating back and front panels and shoestring tied straps, Sheridan Barnett for Quorum £29.50, from Quorum, Radnor Walk, SW3. Long pearl ropes, Corocraft £3.20; rose, D H Evans £2.20; diamante drop earrings, Adrien Mann £2.25; silk bangles, Gay Designs £2; suede pointed stilettos, Biba £13. Satin cushions, large £7.95, small £2.25, ostrich feathers 95p each, all from Biba.
Stunning black self-embossed cap-sleeved crepe-de-chine dress with tight drawstring waist and slit back, Monet £14, from Che Guevara, Kensington High St, W8. Veiled satin pillbox, Charles Batten £8; long pearl rope, Corocraft £3.20; elbow-length satin gloves, D H Evans £2.40; thin silk bangles, Gay Designs £2; sheer black tights, Elbeo 55p; black satin strappy sandals with knotted front, Russell & Bromley £18.99.
Orange, green and cream flower-printed crêpe-de-chine dress with swirling accordion-pleated skirt, Jeff Banks £21.90, from Jeff Banks, Duke St, W1. Glittering pearlised gold belt £3.75 from Crocodile; long emerald green chiffon scarf, Fenwick’s £2.85; grey fabric gloves, Bourne & Hollingsworth 85p; gold leather peep-toe shoes with twisted front, Russell & Bromley £24.99.
LEFT: Spotted cotton baggy trousers, Stirling Cooper £7.95. White cotton boned sun top John Craig £3.50. Cornflower blue shirt with wide turnback sleeves, John Craig £5.50; bobble bead necklace, Corocraft £1-25. RIGHT: Baggy white trousers, Stirling Cooper £9.95. Loose cotton shirt with American Bowling Print design or back, Inega £6.95. Pull-on hat, Edward Mann £2.70; twirly plastic bangle 25p, and thick blue marble bangle 45p, both by Corocraft; shoes, Samm £8.99.
Cotton jackets and blouses, comfortable baggy trousers, skimpy bareback sun tops and neat knee-length shorts. Team them up with saucy felt berets and rope-soled espadrilles —wear them anywhere (or on the prom).
A glorious recreation of 1930s photographs by the late great Mike Berkofsky, but we all know those pups are the real stars of the show!
Photographed by Mike Berkofsky.
Scanned from Honey, May 1974.
LEFT: Striped cotton blouse, Stirling Cooper £6.95, from Ronnie Stirling. High-waisted trousers, Shelana £8.95. Thin patent leather belt, Gay Designs £1.50; authentic sailor’s cap, Lawrence Corner 44p; espadrilles, Samm £3.99. RIGHT: Finely striped jersey halter-neck T-shirt £2.95, and matching cardigan jacket £5.95, both by Bus Stop. Shantung linen Oxford bags, Martha Hill £8.50. Original 40’s canvas percher hat, to hire from Diane Logan.
LEFT: Swirling striped cotton skirt with elasticised waist £15.95, loose white cotton blouse with pintucked front £5.95, both by Stirling Cooper. Sailing ship brooch, Butler & Wilson £2; canvas peep-toe wedge-heeled espadrilles, Chelsea Cobbler £9.99; natural straw hat, Diane Logan £10; denim umbrella, Crocker & Wilson £10-50. RIGHT: White cotton trousers, Jackie Ross at Jon Elliot £9-50. Spotted cotton halter-neck top with rope ties £4, and matching jacket £10.75, both by Diana Doe at Carr Jones. Leather rope-soled espadrilles with ruched front, Samm £8-99. Sunglasses from a selection at Bombacha £2.
Sky blue double-breasted Trevira jacket with shawl collar £6.75, and matching Oxford bags £5.50, both by Spectrum. White cotton piqué fitted halter-neck sun top with buttoned back, Miss Mouse £6.50. Brown and white striped umbrella, Crocker & Wilson £14.50.
Cornflower blue cotton jersey halter-neck top with daisy motif, Tabu £4.90. Cream gaberdine shorts, Tuttabankem £12.50. Silky fine knit cardigan with embroidered pockets from a selection at Bombacha. Blue felt beret, Kangol £1.50. Thin scarlet belt, Peter Robinson 55p. Royal blue canvas wedge-heeled peep-toe espadrilles, Chelsea Cobbler £9.99. Men’s clothes: Striped blazers from £23.50, and Panama hats £1.30, both from Simpsons, Piccadilly, W1. Double-breasted white jersey knit suit £40, striped cotton shirts £7.95, and white bags from £5, all from Bugatti, Kensington Church Street, W8. Black and white correspondent shoes, £12.75 from Anello & Davide, 33 Oxford Street, W1. Brown and cream correspondent shoes, £24.99 from Russell & Bromley. Hair by Trevor at Ricci Burns.
White linen tie-waisted jacket with wide elbow-length sleeves, Rosie Nice £17.95, from Rosie Nice, 12 Clifton Road, W9. Tangerine, green and white map-printed cotton boned sun top with shoestring straps, John Craig £3.50. White cotton sun hat, Edward Mann £2.70; leather rope-soled espadrilles, Samm £8.99; thin emerald green patent belt, Gay Designs £1-50.
LEFT: Cream, navy and scarlet checked madras cotton shirt, Carr Jones £8.50. Pale blue linen Oxford bags with tie waist and patch pockets, Martha Hill £8-50, from Martha Hill, 39 Marylebone High Street, W1; blue beret, Kangol £1-50. RIGHT: White cotton loose pintucked shirt and matching Oxford bags, Sujon £16. Sunshine yellow cotton jersey halter-neck, Tabu £4.50, from Nouvelle, Kensington Church Street, W8 ; umbrellas from Crocker & Wilson.
Now there’s hardware and haberdashery, furnishings and fabrics, cosmetics and mens-wear, all carrying the Biba label. Their brave transition from dolly boutique to department store was made last week when Biba opened in Kensington High Street. Although a baby store compared with neighbouring Barker’s, Biba does boast marble floors, a carved gallery from the old St Paul’s school, and a commissionaire at the huge glass doors.
Faithful customers can still find among the familiar palm fronds clothes to wear themselves or put on their children, but everything is on a much bigger scale. Colour-matched underwear and tights are on sale in a special conservatory-style department, and there’s a complete range of Biba makeup and cosmetics, and many more accessories.
But what’s really new, are the clothes for men, and the things for the house.
There’s nothing simple or austere about a Biba home life. The girl whose idea of some-thing comfortable to wear around the house is a slinky satin dress chooses a plush back-ground and hardware that’s softly elegant. Cutlery is rich-looking in gilt and mother of pearl, or silver and ebony. China is white and gold, glasses are chunky goblets. Specially printed wallpapers and furnishing fabrics, plain satins, felts, braids and trimmings, have carefully matched emulsion paints, lamp-shades and cushions, all in a range of 15 colours. Biba are selling the raw materials so that you can make what you want of them. The clue to their own style is Art Nouveau, but the way you choose to use them will be your own.
Biba men’s clothes are worn in these pictures by James Fox, who can currently be seen in ‘Isadora’ and whose new film, ‘Performance’, in which he co-stars with Mick Jagger, comes out next month.
Mr Fox is long and slender and can have little problem kitting himself out elegantly, but the clothes he wears here, plus others by Biba in velvets and tweeds, all come in a size range bigger than most. So fatter men can have fun with clothes too, and at a reasonable price.
By Liz Smith.
Photographed by Steve Hiett.
Scanned from The Observer Magazine, 21st September 1969.
Biba 3 is definitely the Biba I’m most captivated by, I think possibly because it was edged out so quickly by the much bigger (and more Deco) Big Biba and yet was, I think, the perfect encapsulation of the aesthetic and the first time the ‘department store’ ideal was manifested. Basically, I wish there were more photos so I do try and scan them when I find them! It’s also nice to see the menswear getting a bit of attention for once.
Pure wool herringbene tweed trousers cut to curve over the foot 6gn.; matching buttoned jerkin, £5 10s. Pure silk shirt and tie, 6gn. Art Nouveau statue, £7 10s.; necklace, 34s.; veiling, 2s. a yd. Marbled patent shoes, 12gn., from the Chelsea Cobbler, 33 Sackville Street, W1. Vanilla coloured Imperial Russian cigarettes by Sobranie, 11s. 3d. for 25. Carved ivory cigar holder, £21 ; ivory chess men, part of a set, £80; both from W. Barrett, 9 Old Bond Street, W1.
White worsted wool jacket with safari pockets and belt, 15gn.; matching trousers shaped over the foot, 8gn. Brown and cream printed rayon shirt, 5gn.; matching tie, 39s. 6d. Co-respondent shoes, £5 15s. from Anello & Davide, 30 Drury Lane, London, WC2. Teacup, 5s. 6d.; saucer, 3s. 3d.,2) All Biba prices here are approximate.
Yellow vibrations, sun crepe printed with black and green, cut out at shoulders, frilled like a waterfall down tight sleeves; 15 gns. All clothes by Ossie Clark at Quorum, 113 King’s Rd.
Look at summer through new eyes. Ossie Clark sees you in shepherdess smocks of voile, in long crepe dresses, reed-thin red or printed by Celia Birtwell. Pattie Boyd looks at it her way. All at Quorum.
Photographed by David Bailey.
Scanned from Vogue, June 1969.
I think this editorial might be one of the first I ever scanned, back in even my pre-blog days. I may have posted it on MySpace (don’t judge me, I feel ancient enough as it is). I’ve been meaning to properly rescan for years, but finally the time seemed right. It is the perfect combination of designer, model, photographer and a stunning use of Pre-Raphaelite imagery.
Cloud white voile, left, with apple green and peach, a shepherdess shirt, about £8 14s. 6d, matching skirt, about £10 8s. 6d to order.
Gentle beige smock, below, with crepe yoke, half sleeves above long voile cuffed sleeves; body beige, too, with olive and orange; 142 gns.
Flame red crepe dress, below, wrapped round and tied behind, with dragon fin sleeves, long and slender, a potent mixture of enchantment; 12 gns. Scarf by Celia Birtwell. High collar, £3 5s, from selection at London Docks, Munro Terrace.
Long beige slip in lace and crepe, £19.50; soft-lined crepe bra, £5.40.
It is not often that they auction old knickers at Christies, but earlier this year the celebrated wardrobe of Heather Firbank went under the hammer, and an integral part of the collection was her exquisite underwear. Heather Firbank, sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank, was famous for her unique, occasionally eccentric clothes, and though most of them now belong to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the highest bid for the underclothes came from the lingerie manufacturer Janet Reger and her husband Peter. They made copies of the pieces they bought, and tomorrow they will be on sale from Bottom Drawer, 33 Southwick Street, London W.2, and by mail order. They are expensive, certainly, but unfortunately the luxury of Twenties underwear no longer comes at Twenties prices.All accessories are from Maria Cavallo‘s shop Dignetts, at Antiquarius, King’s Road, London S.W.3.
Model is Linda Dagenais.
Words and styling by Meriel McCooey.
Photographed by Sarah Moon.
Scanned from Sunday Times Magazine, November 17th 1974.
Oyster satin cami-slip, £25.00.
Black lace slip, £19-50; black lace camisole top, £28.50
Original cami-knickers from Heather Firbank collection (also shown on cover). The seam-for-seam copy costs £19-50.
Magic moments, happy moments, moments alone and moments together—you know how good all that feels. And nothing feels better than that touch of luxury when it comes your way unexpectedly. Just in case you don’t know, we want to prove it, by putting that touch of luxury within your reach. For us, the ‘Thirties, perhaps more than any other era, set the mood for elegance and glamour, and we’ve chosen all our prizes in styles and shades to capture that mood.
A series of eight blissfully brilliant illustrations accompanying a competition feature. There is also a stunning photograph which I will post tomorrow as I thought these deserved their own post.
Liz Eggleston 