Main image: Crepe-de-chine two-piece, £20. Shoes by Zapata, 49 Old Church St, London SW3
One thing that designer Antony Price really understands is pattern cutting : “I can think of a shape and create an optical illusion — people’s figures don’t change, clothes make figures.” Price, who designed all these clothes, wants women now to start looking artificially female, but “in a sumptuous way — this time it’s bosoms, hips and tiny waists”. He admits to being influenced by the Fifties and his ex-showgirl sister who lives in Miami and looks like his idol Jayne Mansfield. “The Fifties were less extreme, taste was incorporated into everything.” He wants shoes tall and dangerous like his own cowboy boots, but insists that his clothes (available direct or mail order from Che Guevara, 23 Kensington High St, W8) are comfortable. “What’s more comfortable than swimming costume tops?”
So, so good. Model, designer and photographer are the most perfect combination. It even has Manolo Blahnik shoes for good measure.
Model is Gala Mitchell.
Story by Valerie Wade.
Photographed by Karl Stoecker
Scanned from The Sunday Times Magazine, February 13th 1972.
Shiny one-piece outfit, £18. Shoes, Zapata.
Flocked nylon cocktail dress, £20.
Cotton suit that owes its shape totally to the cut, £18.
Batman Cire dress/cape, £20. Six inch boots, £25.
Deep V-necked ruched nylon dress, £12.99. 5-inch silver shoes, £18.
Yellow crepe blouse by Antony Price at Che Guevara, £5. Sky blue floral patterned skirt with plain blue panels, from Universal Witness, £6. Black bead necklace from a selection at Emmerton and Lambert. Sunglasses are the model’s own.
Rock around the tops that look as though they’ve come straight from the era of the hand-jive and Radio Luxembourg. That’s because our bright young designers have revived such golden oldies as the off-the-shoulder sweater and the shirtwaister blouse. So just add dirndl skirts, popper bead bracelets, swing out in hoop earrings, and we’ll see you later, alligator…
I am sorry to say that I don’t know the name of the model in this spectacular editorial, but I’m pretty sure that she’s the same model as in the video for Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealer’s Wheel. She of the gratuitous eclair-eating – and the most incredible platform shoes I’ve ever seen. It’s safe to say that I was captivated by her look in that video when I was a teenager (with an unhealthy fixation on watching VH1 rather than MTV). So if anyone knows her name, do let me know!
Photographed by Roger Charity.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, October 1971.
Off-the-shoulder red and white striped woollen sweater, £4.50. Red crepe pencil skirt fastens down the back with large white buttons, £6. Both by Phyllis Collins at Stirling Cooper. White vanity case by Antler, £7.25. Cotton scarves, from Gamages, 35p each.
Black and white striped voile shirt with batwing sleeves and pintucks at the waist, by Antony Price at Che Guevara, £5. Violet satin skirt, from Universal Witness, £7.50. Black and white spotted cotton hankie, from Herbert Johnson, 40p. Button brooch, designed for Zandra Rhodes by Mick Mulligan.
Emerald green and white striped woolen sweater with ties at shoulders, £4.50. Matching satin jersey pencil skirt with buttons down the back, £6. Both by Phyllis Collins at Stirling Cooper. Hoop earrings by Adrien Mann, £1.50. Necklace by Funny Bijou at Titfers, £1.50. Silver bow ring by Mick Milligan at Mr Freedom.
Palest green Dicel satin blouse with glass buttons, £5.25. Apple green circular skirt in silk and rayon mixture, £8.75. Both from Universal Witness. Green tights by Mary Quant, 75p. Red patent shoes from Yves Saint Laurent, £14.
The look is tarty—and where better to go for background atmosphere than Hong Kong, sinful city of the Orient, perfect setting for saucy ladies of ill-repute. In this rich, bustling East/West meeting point, with its maze of colourful streets and endless shops bursting with tax-free jade, pearls and cameras. one gets the feeling that beyond these elegant facades are hidden opium dens, James Bond intrigues, and seamy Suzie Wong bars. We took the ferry across from Kowloon to Hong Kong and travelled to Aberdeen—a small, picturesque harbour inlet filled with over eight thousand junks and sampans, ornate floating restaurants selling delicious, fresh seafood, and crowded local markets.
Styled by Norma Moriceau.
Photographed by John Bishop.
Scanned from 19 Magazine, July 1971.
The styling and clothes in this editorial (I mean, green tights and red platforms? Swoon!) are something close to flawless. Unlike the copy – which I have still posted as a historical document – and also, possibly, the use of local residents as ‘extras’. I occasionally feel the need to clarify that I don’t necessarily endorse all elements of things I post, but I also don’t think it benefits us to completely censor history – especially when one is creating an archive.
Satin print blouse, from Van Der Fransen, £2. Blue cotton skirt with white print and ruffled dipping hem, by Universal Witness, £7.35. Tights by Mary Quant, 75p. Purple leather sandals, from Bata International, £7. Satin shawl with black fringing, from Van Der Fransen, £5.
White sleeveless Dicel satin dress with large blue flower design, by Universal Witness, £14.70. Apple green mock lizard sandals, by Bally, £6-50. Bracelet from a selection at Jolly and Marsh.
Moss crepe dress by Alice Pollock at Radley, £13.50. Tight by Mary Quant, 75p. Patent wedge sandals by Yves Saint Laurent, £14. Bracelets from a selection at Jolly and Marsh.
White crepe dress with moon print and matching shorts by Antony Price at Stirling Cooper, £10. Ankle strap shoes, from Ravel, £5.99.
Cotton jersey halter-neck top and slit skirt in green and yellow floral print, by Alan Rodin, £5. Navy suede laced sandals, by Lilley and Skinner, £8.95. Bracelet from a selection at Jolly and Marsh.
Black Tricel dress with beige print has cap sleeves and sash tie, by Biba, £8.55. Navy sandals with lacings, by Lilley and Skinner, £8.95. Neckklace from a selection at Kensington Market. Rings are model’s own. Flower from Fogg and Wakefield.
LEFT: Striped cotton jersey zip-tit T-shirt £3, lacy skin-tight Jeans £10, and fluorescent socks 35p, all from Let it Rock, 430 King’s Road, SW10 (mail order 50p). Leather belt, Lily £6.99; sparkling shoes, Terry de Havilland £15 approx; charm bracelet, Peter Robinson, t1.75; earrings 75p, and matching bracelet 65p, both from City Lights. RIGHT: Splash-dyed voile lace-trimmed zip-tit sleeveless top £6, and black cotton drainpipes with leopard-printed pockets £9, both from Let it Rock, 430 King’s Road, SW10 (mail order 50p). Stardust shoes, Terry de Havilland £15 approx; pink pearls, Peter Robinson Sep; wide Indian bangles sleek 10p each.
DRAINPIPE TROUSERS, PATENT STILETTOS, LUMINOUS SOCKS COME ROCKING BACK
Wonderful to see the combination of Let It Rock, Wonder Workshop and Terry de Havilland in one shoot by Roxy Music cover photographer Karl Stoecker. I’m not the biggest fan of the original Fifties look, if I’m honest, but there’s just something magical about the way this revival scene bridges the Seventies from Glam Rock to Punk and New Wave.
If anyone can identify the male models (or indeed the female ones) let me know. I think Mickey Finn might be one of them (third image, hanging out of the right hand car door), and possibly Antony Price. Which would make sense with Stoecker as photographer.
Photographed by Karl Stoecker.
Scanned from Honey, January 1974.
OPPOSITE LEFT: Pleated nylon zip-front top 0.50, fringed mini £3.50, both from Let it Rock, 430 King’s Road, SW10 (mail order 50p). Shiny snake belt £1.75, and earrings 75p, both from City Lights; tights, Mary Quant 40p; pony-tail holders, Peter Robinson 6p. RIGHT: Leather studded and fringed top with padded Elvis front, Wonder Workshop £15 approx, from Wonder Workshop, 192-198 Villiers Road, Dollis Hill, NW2; Granny Takes a Trip, 488 King’s Road, SW10. Stretch jersey drainpipes £16 approx, and plastic triangular earrings 75p, both from City Lights, 54 Shorts Gardens, WC2 (mail order 30p). Snakeskin-printed belt, Mr Freedom 42.95; chiffon scarf, Fenwicks 1240. Man’s long-sleeved studded and screen-printed T-shirt, Wonder Workshop £6 approx.
LEFT: Leopard-print cotton jersey top, Wonder Workshop £6, from Wonder Workshop, 193-198 Villiers Road, Doll’s Hill, NW2; Granny Takes a Trip, 488 King’s Road, SW10. Fan-pleated skirt £9.50, and plastic earrings 75p, both from City Lights, 54 Shorts Gardens, WC2 (mail order 30p). Gold belt, Lily £6.99; silver and black shoes, Terry de Havilland £15 approx; scarf, Fenwicks £2.40. CENTRE: Pure wool ‘Elvis’ Sloppy Joe, Wonder Workshop £20 approx (for stockists see above). Chequered jersey pencil skirt £4.50, from Van der Fransen, 98 Waterford Road, SW6. Plastic ) bag, City Lights £4.50, bangle, Adrien Mann 30p. RIGHT: Stripey shirt from a selection at Chelsea Antique Market. Stretchy drainpipes £16.50, and earrings 75p approx, from City Lights (for stockists see above). Elastic belt £1.40, and socks 35p, from Let it Rock. Man’s shiny gold zip-up jacket, City Lights £14.50 (for stockists see above). Striped cotton shirt £4, from Let it Rock, 430 King’s Road, SW10 (mail order 50p). Hair by Trevor at Ricci Burns
ABOVE: Black stretchy ribbed jersey tube dress with emerald green maribou trim and shoe-string straps £10, from Let it Rock, 430 King’s Road, SW10 (mail order 50p). Perspex necklace £6.50, and spotted earrings 75p approx, from City Lights; thin Indian bangles, Peter Robinson 5p each. Man’s blue fleck suit with drainpipe trousers and velvet-collared jacket £38, and short-sleeved striped cotton shirt £4, both by Let it Rock.
ABOVE LEFT: Plunging orange and black striped knitted top f4, from Van der Fransen, 98 Waterford Road, SW6. Block gabardine skirt with fan-pleated hem E8.50, from Spectrum, 70 Gloucester Road, SW7. Black tights, Mary Quant 40p; black stardust peep-toe shoes, Terry de Havilland £15 approx; long black beads, £1 from a selection by Adrien Mann; pink plastic and gilt earrings, City Lights 75p approx; bangles, Baggage & Gene Sp each. RIGHT: Zebra-striped corduroy skirt with deep patch pockets £10, and black patent stilettos £8.50, both from Let it Rock, 430 King’s Road, SW10 (mail order SOp). Fine-ribbed cream polo neck, Janine at Harold Ingram {1.50, from Jane Norman, Oxford Street, WI; Penningtons, Marlow. Gold belt £2, scarlet and gilt necklace £1, earrings 75p, and bracelet 65p, all from City Lights.
If you can’t tango, simply steal into the spotlight in these flamboyant rumba dresses. The slipped shoulder strap, the bared midriff and the full-blown flouncy skirts all spell out the sexiest numbers for summer.
The main difference between the content of a magazine like Honey, as opposed to Vogue or Queen, is that the designers tend to be the more intriguing and less well-known of the period. If you want names like Miss Mouse, Granny Takes a Trip or Antony Price, these magazines should always be your first port of call. This shoot alone features one of my Holy Grail pieces by Granny Takes a Trip: the ruffled tie front top and skirt ensemble designed by Dinah Adams. Previously a designer for two other cult London boutiques, Mr Freedom and Paradise Garage, painfully little is known about Dinah Adams (misattributed as ‘Diana’ in the original credits). Which is why it’s always lovely to see her work represented anywhere.
Also shown here is a frothy, frilly delight of a frock by Miss Mouse, a.k.a Rae Spencer-Cullen. A personal favourite of mine, the Miss Mouse aesthetic is precisely why this early Seventies period is my favourite for fashion. Her work was heavily Fifties-inspired, quite ahead of the curve in the scheme of things, but always with a novel twist. Spencer-Cullen is yet another designer whose life remains something of a mystery, despite being a part of a hugely influential circle which included artists Duggie Fields and Andrew Logan. It seems that this anonymity was (at least initially) intentional, as an article from the Glasgow Herald in 1976 declared.
“At first, six years ago, when presenting her quirky designs on fashion, she seemed shy and utterly retiring. Miss Mouse could not be contacted easily by the press. She was elusive, hazed in shadows, a real mouse about publicity in fact. The only evidence of her entire existence was her clothes.”
In a world where we are so used to having information at our fingertips, there is something quite enchanting about this; tiny scraps must be stitched together to create a flimsy silhouette of a creative genius.
Photographed by Roy A Giles.
Scanned from Honey, July 1973.
(Please note – this blog originally appeared in 2016 on Shrimpton Couture’s ‘Curated’ blog project which has since been removed. It seemed a shame to let the posts disappear completely so I hope to eventually repost all my work here.)
Rose-strewn wrapover cotton bolero and long frilled skirt from Spectrum. Raffia and cotton tie belt by Herbert Johnson. Right: Tightly ruched off-the-shoulder top and long skirt with deeply riched waistband from Wallis.
Ritzy ruffled satin bolero top with frilled skirt by Dinah Adams for Granny Takes a Trip. Wavy leather sandals by Samm. Right: Slinky spotted Tricel dress by Ian Batten at Stirling Cooper. Crackly taffeta long flounced skirt by Antony Price for Che Guevara. Wooden and patent sandals by Russell & Bromley.
Flouncy black and white gingham off-the-shoulder dress printed with orange and lemon flowers by Gillian Richard. Canary yellow sandals by Samm. Embroidered cummerbund by Herbert Johnson.
Swirling striped cotton skirt by Jean Junction. Off-the-shoulder pleated blouse by Martha Hill. Polished leather boots from Dolcis.
Black cotton ruched and flared rumba dress printed with multi-coloured flowers and birds by Miss Mouse. Apple green shoes by Russell & Bromley.
Left: Crisp cotton gingham blouse and flounced skirt both by Martha Hill. Oval bead choker and bangles by Paul Stephens. Right: Ruffled cotton check blouse and tiered skirt by Polly Peck. Cummerbund by Herbert Johnson. Shoes by Russell & Bromley.
Screen printed satin suit by Biba. Brooch, cigarette case and lighter all from Jolly and Marsh at Kensington Market.
Crepe halter midi dress by Clobber.
Grand affairs call for grand clothes, and provide a welcome opportunity to get out of our peasant blouses and jeans and dress accordingly. The nicest thing about fashion at the moment is that everyone is so confused as to what they should be wearing, that you can wear exactly what you like. We opt for the romantic Garbo fashion, tarted up in the ’71 style, because girls are beginning to look like girls again and, although we sympathise with Women’s Lib., we don’t believe you have to look like a fella to get equal rights!
Possibly the most perfect encapsulation of the Seventies-does-Thirties aesthetic, this homage to Art Deco features some of the most lust-worthy clothes from my favourite designers and boutiques. Including Biba, Ossie Clark and some rare Antony Price for Stirling Cooper!
Photographed in the home of interior designer Graeme Gibson rather than in a studio, the authenticity is heightened by the location and the props, and then finished with the sweet illustrated photoframes.
Photographed by David Tack.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from 19 Magazine, January 1971.
Crepe dress by Antony Price for Stirling Cooper. T-strap shoes from Sacha.
Aegean print pinafore dress by Sidgreen.
Crepe dress by Antony Price for Stirling Cooper. Shoes from Sacha.
Short sleeved pale lilac sweater by Beckol from Chelsea Girl. Silvery-grey cotton pedal pushers by Antony Price from Che Guevara. Red, white and blue tartan shoes from Zapata. Wide red elasticated belt by Otto Glantz.
Alright, your curves are generous, and your behind is big, but hooray! This is the look for you. We’re back to the era of pneumatic sweater girls, when clothes fitted like the skin of a peach, waists were pulled in with firm wide belts and everyone teetered on high, high heels. Now it’s all camped up with bright plastic jewellery, headscarves and colourful wooly sox (Twiggy-types will just have to resort to falsies and push up bras ‘cos, baby, it’s our turn now!)
Intriguingly, after all that copy about curves, the model is credited as wearing a padded bra with plastic air-filled falsies by Berlei…
Photographed by David Montgomery.
Photographs by courtesy of the Piccadilly Bowling Centre, 30 Shaftesbury Avenue.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, January 1972
Short sleeved sewater by Beckol from Chelsea Girl. Satin pedal pushers by Gillian Richard. Red suede platform shoes by Chelsea Cobbler. Red leather belt from Bus Stop.
Red dolman sleeved sweater by Erica Budd. Pedal pushers made by rolling up footless tights by Mary Quant. Red leather belt from Bus Stop. Black snake platform shoes from the Chelsea Cobbler.
This natty knitted two-piece by Plaza will set you back an uninflated £8.90 but teamed with the right accessories – beret, clutch bag, courts – looks like it could carry a £30+ tag. The fabric is a clingy wool jersey in shades of cranberry, black and grey. You’ll find the set at Che Guevara, Kensington High Street and all branches of Bobby Cousins.
If you know me, you know there’s little I love more than finding something I own in a magazine from the time. So when this copy of Cosmopolitan arrived today, I was delighted to spot this Antony Price for Plaza jersey top (albeit with a slightly different width of stripe). I was then, of course, miserable to note that it once had a matching skirt. Boo hoo. You can’t win ’em all…
Photographed by Tony Boase.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Cosmoplitan, November 1974
Liz Eggleston 