Claire Bloom in Bill Gibb

1970s, beauty, bill gibb, Claire Bloom, cosmopolitan, David Anthony, Hair and make-up, Make-up

Claire Bloom, looking very of the moment with her new short hair cut, wears a feathered two-piece by Bill Gibb. Her hair is arranged by Valerie at Cheveux, her make-up is by Clayton Thomas of Max Factor.

Photographed by David Anthony.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1974.

Claire Bloom is an exquisite dark-haired beauty, all actress without being the least bit stagey. She first caught the public eye in Anouilh’s Ring Round the Moon, then made her film debut in Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight in 1952. This month she stars as Blanche in Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, produced by her husband, Hillard Elkins, and co-starring Stacy Keach. Recently Claire took the great step for an actress and had her hair cut.

“I couldn’t stand my thin shoulder-length hair a moment longer. I thought if I don’t give myself a new look now, I never will. Now I feel a different person.

“I start every day the same way. Coffee, then a delicious smelling Floris bath followed by half an hour of yoga. I was taught in New York three years ago and I’ve done it ever since. I took it up because I was getting so tense and nervous—it really has made a difference. I do it to a marvellous record of chanting Tibetan monks. I like the feeling of physical fitness it brings too. I’ve tried transcendental meditation, but found it too relaxing. When I started yawning through The Doll’s House, I just had to stop. ‘

“My make-up follows this routine: I use RedKen’s moisturiser, followed by Mary Quant’s Nature Tint Foundation, then puff on some transparent powder. The shiny look is not for me. I need to play up my eyes so I always wear eyeshadow and liner. My favourite colours are all the dark, smudgy ones—greys, browns, burgundies and greens. I only wear lip gloss as my lips are well-defined and lipstick makes me feel too made up. If I n a bit of brightening I use Boots No 7 powder rouge. I go to Countess Csaky (5 Carrington House, Hertford St, WI ; 01-629 3732) once a month for a facial. Twice a week I steam my face to get it really clean. I put on Countess Csaky skin food and I lie down with a warm moist flannel over my face for about five minutes. I don’t follow any special diet although I try not to eat anything between breakfast and dinner—just a cup of tea when I’m very thirsty. I don’t like spirits but I love wine with food. Every day I take a complex vitamin tablet—I get them from the States—and a vitamin C tablet. It may be psychological but I feel very well and haven’t had a cold for over three years. The newest find in my life has been a book called Feed Your Face (Duckworth, 90p)—a herbal guide to healthy and beauty. It’s full of the most marvellous recipes. I rushed out and bought some almond meal which is a fantastic facial cleanser, and I use cucumber slices as eye pads. I can’t wait to try out all the recipes!”

Clothes that come to the aid of the party

1970s, bill gibb, caroline charles, Chloe, christopher mcdonnell, Gina Fratini, graff, jean muir, Jeany, Leonard, Rayne, salvador, thea porter, Vintage Editorials, Woman's Journal

Left: Full-length black dress with long, cuffed sleeves and a deep V-neck. The collar and shoulders are embroidered with tiny black beads. £65. Christopher McDonnell. Gold and diamond pendant. Graff. Right: Full-length black silky jersey dress with a square neck. £76. Salvador at Match Club. Lapis and diamond pendant. Graff

Parties are part and parcel of the festive season and once the harrowing run-up to the 25th is over, you just have to throw caution to the winds and enjoy yourself ! Make Christmas a really special event this year and buy yourself a present—a dress that will make a room go quiet; a dress that will make heads turn . . . in other words, a real showstopper. And, because it’s anything but inexpensive, a showstopper that’s not just tied to this winter, but will go on and on in its dateless line. Party dresses are designed to make an impact—so be the centre of attraction, and while you’re enjoying yourself, don’t forget to propose a toast to Christmas.

Photographed by Jeany.

Scanned from Woman’s Journal, December 1975.

Left: Long black glitter dress covered in black and silver diamante, with a tie at neck, short flared sleeves and toggle back fastening. £196. Black sequinned pull-on hat. £56. Jean Muir. Pave diamond earrings. Pave diamond ring. Both by Graff. Black suede ankle-strap shoes. £33. Charles Jourdan. Right: Black georgette dress with a V-neck and gathered waistband covered in black and silver diamante, worn over a black silk underdress with shoe-string straps. £106. Salvador at Feathers. Elegant glitter shoes. £30.50. Rayne.

Left: White lace dress with bodice, waist and sleeves trimmed with peach, coffee and turquoise ribbons, matched by the silk chiffon flounces on the underskirt. £390. Bill Gibb at Feathers. White strappy satin shoes with a silver-coloured clasp. £29.50. Rayne. Right: White silk chiffon spangled coat with embroidered appliqués and attached tie-belt. £450. Wide white satin trousers. £92. Matching turban. £50. By Thea Porter. Gold and diamond bracelet. Pave diamond ring. Both by Graff

Centre: Peach silk dress with a tie at the neck, seamed shoulders and long, flared sleeves. The back is fastened with toggle-shaped buttons. £138. Jean Muir at Browns. Right: Peach silk chiffon dress with shoe-string straps and a pleated bandeau top which ties at the back. Matching cape bordered with peach embroidery and rhinestones. £440. Gina Fratini. Pave diamond ring. Diamond and gold bracelet. Gold and diamond chain. All by Graff.

Stunning pink and lilac full-length silk dress with a V-neck at front and back, tie-belt, and a high waist threaded with elastic. The batwing sleeves fall to form a flowing cape at the back. £350. Chloe at Browns. Diamond and gold bracelet. Graff.

Left: Backless black and cream djellaba with a tie at waist and back of neck. £76. Caroline Charles. Right: Cream chiffon dress with gathered waist. The batwing bodice is embroidered with multi-coloured flowers and birds; the sleeves fall into a cape at the back. £90.50. Rosemary at Leonard.

Twiggy and Alter Egos

1970s, Antiquarius, barbara daly, barry lategan, bill gibb, Inspirational Images, leonard, twiggy, Vignettes, Vintage Editorials, Vogue, Yuki, zandra rhodes

Twiggy as Twiggy playing up to Bill Gibb’s dress of cream lace and pink satin, separate sleeves of lace ruf-fled over the hands, pulled up over the arms under capes of scalloped frills. £300, to order at Harrods. Cream lace and rosebud posy, by Bill Gibb.

Photographed by Barry Lategan.

Scanned from Vogue, December 1974.

Twiggy as cool as Grace Kelly, in Zandra Rhodes’ quilted cape, bowed at the neck, with collar of stitched pink satin. To order at Fortnum & Mason. Make-up by Barbara Daly.

Twiggy as haunting as Garbo in black velvet batwings by Yuki, opposite. £220, at Fifth Avenue, Kings Road. Black velvet pillbox with ostrich plumes. £22, to order at Frederick Fox. Make-up by Barbara Daly.

Twiggy as saucy as aflapper in a swagged black beaded dress with flame roses, this page ,from a range at Maria’s Stall Vignettes at Antiquarius. The orange bead snood, from a range at Carla Sklan at Antiquarius. Sheer black Wolford tights. Black lace garter, 39p, at Fenwick. Black patent sandals, £27, Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Make-up by Barbara Daly. Hair by Barry at Leonard.

The Drawing Room Stage

1970s, barry lategan, bill gibb, Inspirational Images, manolo blahnik, Vintage Editorials, Vogue, zapata

Cream broderie anglaise full-tiered halter dress, lace on halter, pink satin and bee buttons on bodice. Silk lace jacket: £350, jacket, £50, — at Bill Gibb. Gold shoes, Manolo Blahnik, £39, at Zapata.

Hit looks from Bill Gibb: fashion on the drawing-room stage starring net and ribbons and flowers.

Photographed by Barry Lategan.

Scanned from Vogue, March 15th 1977.

How very pretty. Cream net coat, tied with ribbons over matching full skirt and top. Skirts embroidered with sugar pale flowers from scallop hems. Top, a knitted bandeau with crossover halter. Coat, £98, top, £18, skirt, £116, at Bill Gibb.

Silvered peach skirt, this page, lace appliquéd with shine, wrapped and gathered at waist, with superfine silvered peach cape, £246, cape, £190 at Bill Gibb. Gold shoes, Manolo Blahnik, £39, at Zapata.

Frosted lilac silk organza dress, wrapped, bandeau bodice backless, crossed with silver. Hems of pastel flower embroidery; £380. Lilac hooded cape with silver lace, £190, at Bill Gibb. Gold shoes, Manolo Blahnik, £39, at Zapata.

Because it’s Christmas

1970s, baccarat, biba, bill gibb, Frank Horvat, Inspirational Images, The Purple Shop, vanity fair, Vintage Editorials

The kind of dress that might have got you Henry VIII — if you had wanted him. Tapestry tunic over a long skirt ; beautiful, low-necked blouse in silk. By Bill Gibb for Baccarat.

Because it’s Christmas. You’re going to forget, for once all the dreary practicalities of life. You’ll have no connection with the girl in the bus queue, wet winter mornings, tiresome clients, ceaseless telephone battles, budgets & diets, mortages and shopping. You’re going to experience the womanly spelndour of long, sumptuous gowns, shaped from luxurious stuffs – rich brocades, painstaking tapestries, beautiful braids; the whole piled into pattern on pattern so that the woman we know we could become emerges from grubby little Cinderella with a nonchalant elegance – relaxed, seemingly pampered and so obviously desreving a custom-made Prince Charming.

And because it’s Vanity Fair, it’s quite a long and endearingly meandering editorial on a loose theme which I will divide into a few different parts. Today, the glorious work of Bill Gibb for Baccarat, photographed so exquisitely I want to live in these images.

Photographed by Frank Horvat.

Scanned from Vanity Fair, December 1970.

Mediaeval splendour in a long tapestry coat, richly panelled in hamster, over a tapestry skirt and silk blouse. Rings, Purple Shop, Chelsea Antique Market ; Biba cameo.

The leisured life – something you can try out at Christmas, no matter how much organisation goes into it, epitomised by the slash-sleeved, printed panne velvet tunic over a ruffle-necked, ruffle-wristed blouse in festive red and green print. Bill Gibb for Baccarat.

Just A Little Something I Ran Up Myself…

1970s, Ace, bill gibb, Clio Goldsmith, cosmopolitan, Gamba, Inspirational Images, Jane Cattlin, liberty, liberty's, manolo blahnik, Midas, Peter Golding, Russell & Bromley, Sheilagh Browne, sheridan barnett, Terence Donovan, Vintage Editorials, Wendy Dagworthy, Yuki, yvonne gold, zandra rhodes, zapata

DESIGNED BY YUKI . . . and typical of the elegant raciness that Yuki breathes into everything he creates, a sultry bloomer dress to wear if you dare and if you’ve got the shape. Make it from a 1.5 metre square of cotton jersey. Simply cut two holes for your legs in the centre, step inside and tie the corners on your shoulders. Fake lily, Novelty Imports. Jewellery, Adrien Mann. Gold leather shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata.

. . . with the aid of Yuki, Sheilagh Brown, Wendy Dagworthy, Sheridan Barnett, Bill Gibb, Jane Cattlin, Zandra Rhodes and Peter Golding, eight top designers who were each persuaded to whip up a creation for when you still haven’t got a thing to wear.

Hair by Harambee, 19 Avery Row, London W1.

Make-up by Yvonne Gold.

Persian carpets from Liberty.

I think one of the models is Clio Goldsmith.

Photographed by Terence Donovan.

Scanned from Cosmopolitan, January 1978.

DESIGNED BY SHEILAGH BROWN … who goes the whole way with glamour, whipping silk and lace and ribbons into deliciously pretty confections. Here she transforms a 2.25 metre length of soft lace into beautiful balloon trousers gathered twice on ribbon drawstrings. A square of silk crepe de Chine, slashed in the middle for a sliding neckline, ties at the front with wide black satin ribbon. Silver sandals, £24.95, Midas.

DESIGNED BY WENDY DAGWORTHY … the designer who makes sporty Viyella and rough tweeds look soft. Sunray-pleated cotton—hunt for the ready-pleated kind—is cut to make a piecrust collar that’s prettily tied with trailing velvet ribbon, on a poncho top belted like a tunic over a matching skirt. The skirt is one width of fabric gathered on a cord at the waist. Fringe the edges of toning check fabric to make the shawl. Boots, £44.99, Russell & Bromley.

DESIGNED BY SHERIDAN BARNETT who knows how to put together the luxury of velvet and lace in the new romantic style. Sheridan Barnett’s big cosy chasuble is made by folding in half a 2.5 metre length of velvet and cutting a straight line in the centre for the neckline. Tuck under the sides and wrap. closed at the waist with glossy black moire. Knot a fichu of black lace at your throat. Jewellery, Adrien Mann. Patent ballet pumps, £11.50, Gamba.

DESIGNED BY BILL GIBB . . . who creates like no other designer. Here’s a little numero (main picture) from Bill’s sketch-pad that’s four straight pieces of jersey and need be only as expensive as the fabric you choose. Cut four 120 X 90cm oblongs of fabric—Bill picked soft ice-cream shades in Qiana jersey. Overlock the edges and run a ribbon drawstring through one short end of each piece. Two oblongs gathered up and tied on each shoulder make the back and front of the dress. The remaining two pieces, gathered in tightly to wrists and draped over your shoulders, make a floaty jacket that can be knotted back and front. Soft gold leather straps are Bill Gibb’s newest accessory. Gold sandals, £24.95, Midas.

DESIGNED BY JANE CATTLIN Sew one short seam in an oval of silky jersey and you’ll have added a glamorous Jane Cattlin creation to your wardrobe. Jane makes it sound as simple as that, though the result looks like the ritziest evening gown in town. Jewellery, Adrien Mann. Gold leather shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata.

DESIGNED BY ZANDRA RHODES .. and called Conceptual Chic by Zandra. For her New Wave look, drop a sliver of shocking pink jersey on top of a plain black T-shirt dress. First cut several jagged slashes in a 105 x 114cm oblong jersey, making two of the cuts big enough for armholes. Overlock the edges and decorate with spangles and safety pins, preferably jewelled. Tie bright satin rouleaux around your neck. Stitch pearl or diamante beads on to plain safety pins or buy one of Zandra’s rolls of pins ready-jewelled from her shop at 14a Grafton Street, London W1. At £10, they’re the punk status symbol! Shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata.

DESIGNED BY PETER GOLDING … whose rhinestone-studded jeans, spangled T-shirts and satin waistcoats glint and gleam in his shop, Ace. If you’re star-struck but can’t afford the glittering trappings or spare the time to stitch sequins on your jeans here’s Peter Golding’s tip. Hang your Christms-tree decorations on to ponchos of sheer black lace, add a few stick-on silvery stars and moons, fasten your Lurex sotckings with silver suspenders, shake your feathers and enjoy yourself! The mirrored belt is made by pasting handbag-size mirrors on to any plain belt. Shoes, £40, Manolo Blahnik for Zapata. Lurex stockings, Mary Quant, £1.60.

Ireland Lends Poetry to Fashion

1970s, Anders Holmquist, baccarat, bill gibb, chelsea cobbler, cherry twiss, christian dior, Deliss, Diorling, Gina Fratini, Inspirational Images, Mexicana, Nettie Vogues, telegraph magazine, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, Vintage Editorials, Worth

A white cotton lace dress by Mexicana, seen in the tranquil green surroundings of Mount Kennedy in Co. Wicklow.

Many designers look increasingly to the past for their inspiration, and, to find suitable backgrounds for modern clothes. Fashion Editor Cherry Twiss took a selection to Ireland where, with the help of the Irish Georgian Society, she discovered magical, timeless settings for the newest fashions.

“Upgathering Feather-like frills, they step demure as nuns, Nor heed the menacing eyes on every side, Dead set unceasingly like levelled guns. Truly I think each woman is a bird.” Seamus O’Sullivan, Birds.

As always, no shouting at the me for the furs please. Pretend they’re fake. Enjoy the pretty clothes and landscapes instead…

Plaits by Tovar Tresses at Miss Selfridge.

Hair by Roger at Vidal Sassoon.

Make-up by Estee Lauder.

Photographed by Anders Holmquist.

Scanned from The Telegraph Magazine, August 21st 1970.

Lofty ancestral staircase at Mount Ievers, Co. Clare makes a beautiful, subdued setting for Baccarat’s pleated skirt and printed suede tunic. The laced boots are by Deliss.

Recalling former glories at Dollardstown, a drifting Ascher silk giselle dress, all frills and flounces, designed by Gina Fratini and worn with a beaded choker. Taffeta boots from The Chelsea Cobbler.

Mount Ievers, reflected in its own pool, speaks for the brooding timelessness of old Ireland. The black velvet Diorling midi suit is worn with a winged, onyx clip. The black silk boots are made by Deliss.

Feather like frills in the tangled splendour of the grounds of Dollardstown, Co. Meath. Black pleated organza cape and dress by Nettie Vogues. Boots by Deliss.

At the gates of Mount Ievers, a swirling tweed cape, fringed in black wool, by the House of Worth. Leather boots by Deliss.

Liberty on the tiles

1970s, bill gibb, Elle, interior design, interiors, James Mortimer, liberty, liberty's, Sarah Campbell, Susan Collier, Vogue

The Countess Emma de Bendern’s dining-room and kitchen, left: Terrace wall and floor tiles to match cotton union curtains, green as green. Paint, Carson’s Grassy green no 7Q. Emma’s dress, a Liberty print Bill Gibb, to order from Elle, her hair cut by Karin of Derek Roe.

Liberty has covered another few indoor acres with flowers and trellis and the acres are acres of tiles made by Fired Earth. Refreshingly pretty as might be expected, with fabrics to match exactly or very nearly. The _project was initiated by the late Blair Pride, co-ordinated by Susan Collier, Liberty’s design consultant, who with Sarah Campbell produced the designs. Here they are in situ.

Photographed by James Mortimer.

Scanned from Vogue, May 1974.