Fulham Road Boutiques

1970s, Boston-151, british boutique movement, Carlos Arias, Early Bird, Gundrun Boston, hollywood clothes shop, Illustrations, Jacqui Smale, jean muir, Kaffe Fassett, laura ashley, Lillian Delevoryas, michael chow, missoni, Valerie Goad, Vintage Adverts, Vogue
Early Bird, 20 Park Walk, has long velvet dresses, ruched sleeves, frilly cuffs, or hooded. All washable, 15gns (£15.75).

The only Earlybird pieces I have encountered don’t really warrant such a sexy illustration, but it’s always nice to flesh out a lesser known boutique label when you can! The advert accompanies a feature on boutiques in the Fulham Road, with a lovely lengthy description of both Laura Ashley and Boston-151 amongst others.

You can begin on the outskirts of Brompton Village, just past Habitat, with the best of fashion, then move on for miles—literally—past spaghetti, spaghetti, hamburgers, junk and tortoises, the Chelsea Supporters’ Club and Fulham Broadway, until you arrive at Pollyanna’s excellent children’s clothes, 660; The East & West Superette, at 694, continental groceries; Fulham Surplus Stores, 686, bargains like army surplus arctic fleecy coat linings at £5.

Clothes you really want to own: Laura Ashley, 157, a big barn of remarkably low-priced things—Jacqui Smale’s demure print dresses, fine white tucked camisole petticoats, or nightdresses, shirts, print and plain velveteen and corduroy in colours of cloudy blue, dull purple, faded rose made into baggy knickerbockers, capes, shirts.

Boston-151, 151, is Gundrun Boston’s new beautiful clothes place, “filled with all the things I’d like to buy and never can find”. The functional chic workshop design is by Michael Chow. big lacquered tin central changing room, black mirror, clothes easy to look at and get at, a sewing lady sewing away instead of window dressing. Watch for: incredible hand-sewn clothes by Carlos Arias, his peasant print silk and cotton shirts, panne velvet ones too with tasselled ribbons, Mohammedan bloomers and boleros, soft dishcloth crochet dresses inset with Ibiza embroidery. These have clinging tops and flowing skirts and you tie yourself in (he practically never uses zips). There are Turkish mixed prints of marvellous cut, caftans made from rare Edwardian and Twenties fabrics. Kaffe Fassett’s macrame work, wool and string chokers and belts, old stones, ivory elephants threaded in,
hours of work. Boston & Kaffe’s subtle patterned knits, kimonos, sweaters, skirts; Chloe and Jean Muir. Lillian Delevoryas’ picture patchworked clothes. Linen shepherd smocks and jackets with velvet binding. Crochet cloche hats and ties where almost every stitch changes colour. Sexy seamless sweaters. Missoni knitted things from Milan, T-shirts, skirts and trousers so light you can wear several at once, and Kaffe Fassett evolves their colour schemes so you can imagine how lovely they are. Classic tailored trousers. Brown string butchers’ bags. Linen duffle bags stencilled with Boston-151 and made up in the workshops at Wormwood Scrubs. Valerie Goad, 185-7, has grown. She has 30 designs and more of best dresses, midi and long, shirts that match skirts and knickerbockers. There are Liberty wools, plain and print velvets and voile. Everything can be made to measure for a few guineas more, dresses, for instance, are from 19 gns (£19.95). Rene Aubrey, 122, 370 4745, hairdresser, has just opened a men’s salon next door. Early Bird, 20 Park Walk, has long velvet dresses, ruched sleeves, frilly cuffs, or hooded. All washable, 15 gns (£15.75).

Dean Rogers, 60, is a new man’s shop, with excellent-fitting trousers, velvets, tweed, cashmere, home-spun knitting, good belts and shirts. They open until 10.30 pm. Piero de Monzi, 70, is a double-fronted elegant shop with classic French and Italian clothes for men and women. Shirts from 5 gns (15.25) in delicate prints, exuberant Ken Scott prints, plain voiles, fine jerseys. Daniel Hechter suede and fleece greatcoats. Belts from 4 gns (£4.20), weighty affairs of hide and snake and brass. Suits, jackets, trousers, in bird’s eye tweed, velvet, gabardine, denim. Italian shoes, 16 gns (116.80). Next month an early spring fall of languid V de V clothes, moons, stars, wavy bands and boats knitted in. One partner, Alain Mertens, has opened the DM Gallery next door, 72, with Paolozzi, Hockney, multiple multiples, chic Italian design as in the perfect transistor. Imogens, 274, is ethnic: Palestinian embroidered wedding dresses, Kurtas, burnooses, shawls, belts, Israeli glass, Middle Eastern rugs and trinkets.

Afew months ago Kjeld Jacobsen opened Danish Silver Designs at 84. He’s a goldsmith turned business man, the jewellery shown comes from about 10 workshops in Den-mark and has a nordic coolness—strange pale stones, precise curves and spirals, 80 per cent in silver, a little gold. Special orders are dealt with by Jens Torp who can be seen at work through a window in the back of the showroom; this keeps the customers happy while they wait. Prices from £24100. Opposite the Queen’s Elm pub is that smart new block. There’s Alistair Colvin, 116, decorator and antique dealer, a drawing-room-sized shop, bizarre and interesting pieces. Zarach, 110. They’re the Sander Mirror Company, with elegant modern design grafted on. Downstairs there’s a new mirror showroom, looking glass in fifteen shades, antiqued, smoky, marbled, tortoiseshell, almost any effect -you could wish for, from £3 per square foot. Upstairs, with David Hicks black and white carpet, royal tartan blue walls, are beautifully designed things from Italy like Perspex ice buckets, boxes, clocks, spot lamps; status bibelots, work by Ciancimino, Billy McCarty, Tony Stubbin, Jon Bannen-berg, all Hicks carpets of course. Look out for the Italian gong chair. Rubber stretched on a round chrome frame and comfortable.

Travelling on to the heart of the Fulham Road, Charles Quinlan, 309, does upholstery work, recaning, polishing, loose covers and curtains. Tulleys, 289, have everything and endless windows of second-hand furniture, pale ranks of calico-covered sofas and chairs. Humpherson, 186, are the builders’ merchants who have a three-floor showhouse of bathrooms and kitchens. Solarbo, 230, make pelmets, curtain rails, cupboards, sliding doors, louvred doors (made to measure for no extra cost, and in do-it-yourself kits), a flexible shelf and drawer storage system with clear plastic or white wire baskets. Jonathan Minns, 1a Hollywood Road, a few feet off the Fulham Road, is a fascinating machinery shop, industrial and scientific antiquities, model ships, traction engines, locomotives like Birmingham Piddlers, extraordinary machines for extraordinary work like stitching army tents in Poona. All serious stuff and remarkably pleasing to look at. If Mr Minns isn’t driving traction engines at 6 mph through the countryside, or setting up museums with his new company Industrial Originals, he’ll be in the shop to explain it all. Hollywood [a.k.a The Hollywood Clothes Shop], 10 Hollywood Road, has ravishing thirties and forties clothes. From here down to Stamford Bridge are small nests of antique shops. Among the most interesting: Goldsworthy, 346, for a pair of gilded Siamese umbrellas. Stephen Long, 348, with painted bamboo, doll’s house furniture, tapestry bell pulls, bits of this and that, biscuit tins, patchwork quilts, books on bezique and cribbage, all the charming funny household paraphernalia of the past 150 years. Arthur Brown, 392-400, has everything. Perce Rye, 495, has Invincible Motor Policies.

And go back to Finchs, 190, for a drink, to find the village nucleus of excellent food shops and eating places. Hazel’s, 172, sell the finest fruits and vegetables. There are specialists in kebabs, ice-creams, pizzas, traditional English fare (as in Hungry Horse, 196). If you don’t wish to queue for hours outside The Great American Disaster, 325, for the greatest hamburgers and milkshakes this side of the Atlantic, then try the new Parsons Café Royal & Old Spaghetti Factory, 311: spaghetti, choice of six sauces, garlic, bread and salad for 9s (45p).

Text by Antonia Williams.

Scanned from Vogue, February 1971.

Put on an exciting evening face

1970s, barbara daly, Boston-151, Charles of the Ritz, Chloe, david bailey, Estee Lauder, hair, Hair and make-up, Inspirational Images, Make-up, Vogue, yves saint laurent
Charles of the Ritz make-up echoing the dots on Saint Laurent’s soft chiffon halter. New Segur Ritz Mat Foundation over Pink Revenescence Moisture Glow with new Real Red Cheek Pommade Cleargel blusher and Translucent Face Powder. On the eyes, new Moisturizing Eye Shadow Base under Green Celery Eye Shadow Pommade on brow bone and Seagreen Mist Eye Shadow Pommade in socket and over lid; Paper-thin Creative Colour Satin Liner in Forest Green, Chestnut Brown Brow Colour, Black Auto-Lashique Mascara. New Liqui-Frost Tangerine Lipstick and Premiere Peach Liqui-Creme Nail Polish. Hair dotted with Nestle Streaks ‘N Tips Auburn Hair Colour by Gerald at Mod’s Hair, Paris, make-up by Barbara Daly; chiffon by Abraham, earrings by Saint Laurent.

Take browns, oranges, greens and gold, mix them, match them and make them work for you.

Make-up by Barbara Daly.

Hair by Gerald at Mod’s Hair.

Photographed by David Bailey.

Scanned from Beauty in Vogue, Summer 1973.

Estee Lauder make-up teamed with the new bareness of Chloe’s bitter brown top, crossed over the back, wrapped around the waist of a matching pleated crepe skirt. Estee Lauder Soft Cover Compact Make-up in Fresh Cream, Fresh-Air-Pink Face & Cheek Tint, a dusting of Sheer Shell Re-Nutriv Powder. On the eyes, Smoky Apricot and Apricot Chiffon Pressed Eyelid Shadows with new China Blue Eye Glossamer at outer corners, Black/Navy Lustrous Roll-On Mascara. New Iced Sherry Glossamer over Re-Nutriv Rich Rich Lipstick in Classic Sherry, with nails painted in new Classic Sherry Lustrous Nail Lacquer. Make-up by Barbara Daly, hair slicked back and banded with Nestle Streaks ‘N Tips Gold Hair Colour by Gerald of Mod’s Hair, Paris; Pearl drop earrings from The Purple Shop, Chloe dress from Boston 151.

Jeanz Meanz

1970s, Boston-151, caroline arber, Electric Fittings, Emmerton and Lambert, Inspirational Images, Jigsaw, Kansai Yamamoto, Landlubber, margit brandt, mary quant, mr freedom, South Sea Bubble, The Westerner, Vintage Editorials, Vogue, Wild Mustang Co.
Properly faded blue jeans at Emmerton and Lambert. Bright red braces at Mr Freedom. T-shirt by Kansai Yamamoto at Boston-151. Cowboy boots at The Westerner.

Jeanz Meanz summertime, anytime, new blues, faded blues, long legs, a look that’s sexy, tough, goes with workshirt or Saint Laurent blazer, a bright old idea that began with the Gold Rush and just keeps on looking great…

Photographed by Caroline Arber.

Scanned from Vogue, July 1971.

Blue jeans and cotton battle shirt by Jigsaw. Blue cotton singlet, Boston-151. Brown suede boots by Mary Quant.
Mid blue cotton jeans by South Sea Bubble. Stripe vest, Margit Brandt for Scorpio. / Thick brushed denim jeans from Wild Mustang at Take Six. Tartan shirt by Electric Fittings.
Denim blue jeans by Landlubber. Plaid shirt by Electric Fittings. Leather boots from Mr Freedom.

Daisy suede and other shorts

1970s, Beged'Or, Boston-151, chopper, Feathers, Inspirational Images, mr freedom, rowley and oram, Sue Baloo, terry de havilland, tuttabankem, Vogue, Zwarts
Rusty suede scalloped and sewn with ink painted daisies. Excellent small cap-shouldered jerkin of the same. By Tuttabankem at Boston-151. Suede by Gomshall Tanneries. Lurid lurex striped t-shirt by Mr Freedom. Feathered butterfly at Zwarts. / Maroon suede jeans shorts on bib and strap by Beged-Or at Debenham & Freebody. Neon panne velvet t-shirt, ice cream cone pin and tights at Mr Freedom. Zany felt patchwork hats at Feathers. Two-tone suede shoes at Rowley & Oram.

Blue skies, fresh air, freewheeling and summer suede shorts. This way.

Unusually for Vogue, this spread doesn’t credit a photographer. It also credits those amazing shoes to Rowley and Oram, who stocked Terry de Havilland’s shoes, so I suspect that they are by him as well.

Scanned from Vogue, April 15th 1971.

Paint just took a trip

1970s, amanda lear, Boston-151, Honey Magazine, Inspirational Images, Kansai Yamamoto, manolo blahnik, Vintage Adverts, zapata

paint took a trip nov 71

Probably the greatest paint advert of all time, featuring model and singer Amanda Lear wearing clothes by Kansai Yamamoto from Boston-151. Shoes are by Zapata (aka Manolo Blahnik).

Scanned from Honey, November 1971

Naturally, a Titian Beauty

1970s, barry lategan, Boston-151, Carlos Arias, Inspirational Images, Jane Dunn, Vogue

titian

Jane Dunn with Max Factor make-up. She wears Carlos Arias’s dress in beige and blue, quilted and embroidered wool; £120, from Boston-151.

Photographed by Barry Lategan.

Scanned from Vogue, August, 1971

And now for the amazing… Kansai Yamamoto

1970s, Boston-151, clive arrowsmith, Inspirational Images, Kansai Yamamoto, marie helvin, Sachiko Shibayama, Vintage Editorials, Vogue

kansai july 71 a

On our left, this page, the satin Samurai appliquéd on a satin polyester T-shirt, £18; with sashiko—pure black cotton,–hip shorts. Black raggedy jacket of peacock feathers, with feather chaps buckled to the legs. Black patent boots on red satin platform soles,£28.
Centre, copper satin coat covered with navy and white cotton discs filled with butterflies, zipped up side, round the armhole to the collar and down the other side. Right, sashiko with a plaid of coloured lines, a violent satin hara kiri committed on the back (switched round here), £75. Black patent boots with turquoise satin platforms, £28. Wooden comb in the hair.

… and his marvellous painted circus of clothes. Twenty-seven years old, from Tokyo, he sells these unique clothes at Boston-1.51 where they hang like brilliant puppets, all the tradition of the Japanese theatre behind them. All clothes at Boston-1 51. Kansai Yamamoto oversees them in traditional kabuki stage manager’s kimono. Make-up, by Sachiko Shibayama, who has studied kabuki make-up for eight years.

Photographed by Clive Arrowsmith.

Scanned from Vogue, July 1971.

kansai july 71 b

Above left, scarlet, black and white kimono blouse, wide skirt with dragon teeth hem, big curved belt that says “fireman!” about £95. Black patent boots on scarlet satin, £28. Centre, “Fireman’s boss” sashiko vest with scarlet words, about £30. Sashiko tied leggings. Right, spiral zipped coat flared through six orders of plaid, all crossed again with quilting, in brown, rust, blue, dark red, lined with black cotton, £30.

Inspirational Images: An Emeraude Stream…

1970s, barry lategan, Boston-151, Coty, Inspirational Images, japonisme, Kanei Orimono, Kansai Yamamoto, marie helvin, Vogue

...in a leafy glade - the green and woody scent of Coty's Emeraude. Short beige silk kimono, £35, scarf, £8, printed with figures by Kansai Yamamoto, matching umbrella by Kanei Orimono, £5 from Boston-151.

…in a leafy glade – the green and woody scent of Coty’s Emeraude. Short beige silk kimono, £35, scarf, £8, printed with figures by Kansai Yamamoto, matching umbrella by Kanei Orimono, £5 from Boston-151.

Modelled by Marie Helvin. Photographed by Barry Lategan.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, August 1971

Inspirational Editorials: These smocks are the shape of things to come…

1970s, annacat, barry lategan, Boston-151, british boutique movement, Gina Fratini, Ginger Group, janice wainwright, Kumari, Lati Ptochis, Leslie Poole, Malcolm Raines, margit brandt, mary quant, pablo and delia, Pedro Garcia, Scorpio, simon massey, The Sweet Shop, Tony Berkeley, Vintage Editorials, Vogue

Smock by

Smock by Leslie Poole for Annacat. Small smock from Little Things.

“This is not a maternity feature, this means you. But what a great year to be pregnant”

Glorious Pre-Raphaelite inspired shoot by Barry Lategan, exactly how I dream of dressing every day. Those hats! …

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, March 1971

Get the look with a gorgeous printed smock dress over at Vintage-a-Peel

Smock by

Smock by Mary Quant Ginger Group. Velvet Holbein hat from The Sweet Shop.

Smock by

Smock by Lati Ptochis at Boston-151. Flower trailer by Pablo & Delia.

Smock and skirt by Tony Berkeley. Shoes by Pedro Garcia. Wristlet by Pablo & Delia. Hat by Malcolm Raines at The Sweet Shop.

Smock and skirt by Tony Berkeley. Shoes by Pedro Garcia. Wristlet by Pablo & Delia. Hat by Malcolm Raines at The Sweet Shop.

Smock by

Smock and skirt by Gina Fratini. Shoes by Pedro Garcia. Hat by Malcolm Raines at The Sweet Shop. Necklace by Pablo & Delia

Smock by

Smock by Janice Wainwright at Simon Massey. Painted hair decoration by Pablo & Delia.

smock 6

Smock by Margit Brandt, skirt by Kumari, both for Scorpio.

Inspirational Images: Ossie Clark, 1971

1970s, Boston-151, harpers and queen, Inspirational Images, james wedge, ossie clark

Loose black crepe jacket with padded shoulders and tulip appliqué, £44.50; matching Oxford Bags, £11.50; appliqué-ed sleeveless waistcoat, £14.75; emerald satin shirt, £7.50; Ossie Clark exclusive to Boston 151. Shoes, £16; Chelsea Cobbler.

Photographed by James Wedge.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Harpers and Queen, December 1971.