City Lights

Inspirational Images: Sheer clear of the showers

1970s, caroline baker, City Lights, helmut newton, Inspirational Images, nova magazine, Swanky Modes, Vintage Editorials

Top and wrap skirt at Swanky Modes. Sandals from City Lights Studio.

Ah…the Great British Summer. Still, I wouldn’t mind the rain if  I had a Swanky Modes transparent raincoat in my armoury. I would probably opt for wearing clothes underneath though. (I know, I’m such a spoilsport!)

Scanned from Nova, August 1973. Photographs by Helmut Newton.

Top and airmen’s trousers by Swanky Modes. Sandals at City Lights Studio.

Trenchcoat with petal-leaf collar at Swanky Modes. Sandals at City Lights Studio.

A-line raincoat with ‘debris’ seal in pockets by Swanky Modes. Sandals at City Lights Studio.

British Design Hero: Tommy Roberts

1960s, 1970s, british boutique movement, carnaby street, City Lights, glam rock, Inspirational Images, king's road, kleptomania, mr freedom, pop art, Tommy Roberts

Mr Freedom interior. Photograph: JON WEALLEANS

The lovely Paul Gorman very kindly sent me some sneaky peeky previews of his much-awaited new book about Tommy Roberts (Kleptomania, Mr Freedom, City Lights etc). From what I’ve seen and read so far, this is going to be quite a ‘must have’ book for anyone interested in Sixties and Seventies fashion – and specifically, the British Boutique scene in London at the time.

Cheeky and freaky, Mr Freedom clothes are amongst my very favourites of their kind. The bright, brash shapes, colours and logos have long since moved beyond pop-art irony and into the realms of the iconic themselves. This is the first, and I’m sure will remain the only, definitive look at the life of Roberts and his various other boutiques and projects … and I actually cannot wait to have a hard copy in my hands! I will give it a full review eventually, but until then…

Rock on Tommy, rock on…

You can pre-order Mr Freedom direct from Adelita for a mere £20.

Mr Freedom hotpants, 1970. Photo: Stephen Markeson (The Sun/NI Syndication)

Derek Morton suit for City Lights, 1973. Photographed by David Parkinson