Foale and Tuffin

Cathy McGowan’s Boutique

1960s, biba, british boutique movement, cathy mcgowan, celebrity boutiques, Foale and Tuffin, ossie clark, personal collection

One of my treasured pieces of fashion ‘ephemera’ is a flimsy paper catalogue for Cathy McGowan’s boutique range of clothes, which launched in 1965. I was pleased for it to be used in Richard Lester’s new book Boutique London: A History: King’s Road to Carnaby Street but, since only the front page was scanned and featured, I thought I ought to scan and share the rest of it!

Cathy ended up getting married in an amazing Celia-print Ossie Clark dress, but at this point she was alternating between Foale and Tuffin and Biba for presenting Ready Steady Go!. You can see a definite Foale and Tuffin influence in these clothes, I think, and I have often wondered how ‘proper’ designers at the time felt about these strange new celebrity “boutiques”.

Peek Inside The Boutique: Foale and Tuffin

1970s, brian duffy, british boutique movement, Foale and Tuffin, ingrid boulting, telegraph magazine

Marion Foale (left) and Sally Tuffin in their boutique.

Foale and Tuffin Ltd

1 Marlborough Court W1

Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin spent three years designing clothes under their own label before opening the Foale and Tuffin boutique in 1965. Their designs, often based on history, are still sold to other stores and boutiques in Britain and they export to the U.S. and Europe as well. They design for a relaxed way of life and make clothes they or their friends could wear.

The Daily Telegraph Magazine, July 17th 1970

Photos by Duffy.

Chiffon blouse, £7, and three matching skirts, £7 each.

Printed cotton dress, £12 10s. Hair by Vidal Sassoon.

Hard Glam Rock

1970s, alkasura, british boutique movement, Copper Coin, eric clapton, Foale and Tuffin, glam rock, hard rock cafe, mary quant, maureen starkey, mr freedom, pete townshend, sheridan barnett, van der fransen

Left: Shirt by Hans Metzen at Elle. Midi tartan culottes by Foale and Tuffin. Boots by Sacha. Hat by Bermona / Right: Vest by Girl. Sujon pants and battle jacket by Vanessa Frye. Shoes by Sacha.

One of my favourite Petticoat spreads, from September 1971, which I haven’t scanned in full before (why? I have no idea….). It was photographed at the Hard Rock Cafe in London, and published a mere three months after it opened (June 1971). The Hard Rock was a different beast back then, the memorabilia which would later become such a huge part of its identity was a later addition and quite haphazardly acquired to begin with.

Isaac Tigrett (later to marry Maureen Starkey, whom he would often introduce as “My most authentic piece of rock and roll memorabilia.”) and Peter Morton opened their American-style diner in an old Rolls Royce dealership on Park Lane. It became an instant hit with their musician and music-loving friends. They could come along, post-gig, for a hit of fast food, good company and a relaxed atmosphere. The decor developed from eclectic Americana into iconic music memorabilia, as various musicians donated their old instruments and clothes to their beloved Hard Rock diner.

‘So Clapton got to be friends with the proprietors and asked them to save him a regular table, put up a brass plaque or something. And the young proprietors said, “Why don’t we put up your guitar?” They all had a chuckle, and he handed over a guitar, and they slapped it on the wall.

No one thought much more about it. Until a week later, when another guitar arrived (a Gibson Les Paul, by the way). With it was a note from Pete Townshend of The Who which read: “Mine’s as good as his. Love, Pete.” ‘

From the official Hard Rock website.

This photoshoot is a rare insight into how the Hard Rock would have looked when it first opened and before it acquired its now legendary status and worldwide domination.

It’s also packed full of glam rock, British Boutique goodness and is almost as delicious as a Hard Rock Apple Cobbler….

Photos by Roger Charity. Fashion by Sue Hone.

Tartan pinny with button sides by Foale and Tuffin. Vest with red trim and heart buttons by Dranella. Boots by Sacha.

Left: Rhona Roy smock, under pinny by Copper Coin. Shoes by Elliotts. / Right: Syndica vest from Girl. Skirt by Mr Freedom. Jewellery from Paradise Garage. Shoes by Sacha

Left: Velvet suit by Marielle. Sox by Mr Freedom. Shoes by Ravel. / Right: Bermudas by Foale and Tuffin. Sweater from Elle Shops. Bangles by Biba. Sox by Quant. Shoes by Mr Wik.

Copper Coin red and blue pinny by Sheridan Barnett. Black pants by Gordon King. Shirt by Alkasura. Shoes by Quant.

Smock by Copper Coin. Top by Van Der Fransen.

Geeky Games

Foale and Tuffin, janice wainwright, lps, pimm's

Sincerest apologies for the lack of posting, I’ve been on a little trip down to the West Country and (as yet) don’t have much in the way of mobile internet access. I’m lining up some [hopefully] fabulous blog posts to make amends, and some new website listings, but until then I thought I would share my new charity shop game. Since there’s a distinct lack of interesting gear in charity shops these days (especially the Portassed ones), even in the middle of nowhere, I have to make do with geeking out over LP covers.

So.

Look!! It’s Foale and Tuffin on the cover of a naff Gilbert O’Sullivan covers album (the back cover credits the photo to Pimm’s so it must be from the aforementioned Pimm’s and Tuffin shoot).

Look!! It’s Janice Wainwright for Simon Massey!!! On a Hammond Party Album!!

More to come when I find them…

Country Style

19 magazine, biba, boots, bus stop, charlotte martin, edward mann, Foale and Tuffin, forbidden fruit, hats, Inspirational Images, lee bender, seventies fashion
Smock with matching rayon skirt from Van Der Fransen.

Smock with matching rayon skirt from Van Der Fransen.

[…and, a word in your ear if you sell vintage magazines]

I buy a lot of vintage magazines, this can come as no surprise to you all. Sometimes they come with pages missing, which has not been noted by the seller. This is Bad Practice, obviously. Not only is this amazing spread (March 1972) missing at least one photo (of a Foale and Tuffin piece, no less) but I also cannot credit the photographer because 19 magazine credits at the beginning of the spread. Bad form, magazine seller, bad form*.

Nevertheless, it is such a gorgeous spread that I couldn’t resist scanning it and posting. It’s utterly perfect inspiration for this balmy weather we’re having if, like me, you refuse to strip off and roast your flesh…

If anyone has this issue and can complete it with the missing photos and photographer ID, then I would be eternally grateful. Ta muchly! xx

*For the record, I contacted the seller and received no response to my complaints. Sigh.

Hat by Edward Mann. Shirt by Bus Stop. Skirt by Angela at London Town.

Hat by Edward Mann. Shirt by Bus Stop. Skirt by Angela at London Town.

Shirt from Bus Stop. Skirt from Forbidden Fruit. Boots by Biba.

Shirt from Bus Stop. Skirt from Forbidden Fruit. Boots by Biba.

Shirt and skirt by Bus Stop. Hat by Van Der Fransen.

Shirt and skirt by Bus Stop. Hat by Van Der Fransen.

Top and skirt by Forbidden Fruit. Hat by Van Der Fransen. Boots by Biba.

Top and skirt by Forbidden Fruit. Hat by Van Der Fransen. Boots by Biba.

Tales from the Nursery

Foale and Tuffin, Inspirational Images, jean varon, john bates, seventies fashion, Vogue
Clothes by Foale and Tuffin
Ninny Nanny Prettycoat
In an oatmeal petticoat.
The fuller the sleeves,
The sweeter the roses.

Delicious nursery rhyme themed spread from Vogue, April 1970. Photographed by Elisabeth Novick. I have included the strange nursery rhymes they have mangled created. Even though I think they’re a load of tosh. Why so literal, anonymous Vogue writer? Why not just use the originals and leave something to the imagination?

The photos are pretty incredible though, which makes it all worthwhile….

Be a fine lady and wear a fine dress,
Fragile as Bo-Peep’s, cut like a caress.
Sleeves are the prettiest,
Bloomers the wittiest,
In light silk and voile, paisley or crepe.


Clothes by Poole
Take a tuck, take a tuck tailor’s man.
Sew me some voile fast as you can.
Frill it and smock it,
And colour it white.
Then add pretty bloomers not quite out of sight.

Clothes by John Bates for Jean Varon
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Wearing brown paisley and blue.
The skirt length was midi,
The bodice was pretty,
The trousers were brown paisley too.

Clothes by Francis Vaughan
Mary Mary silk and suede
How does this garden grow?
With smocking green
And pinafore
And hollyhocks all in a row.

Clothes by Lady Fingers
Several yards of ice-cream crepe,
Several yards of stitching,
Smock it high and frill the cuffs.
The dress is quite enchanting.

Keeping Cool In Sticky Situations

cecil gee, clive arrowsmith, Foale and Tuffin, Inspirational Images, lee bender, marrian mcdonnell, observer magazine, ossie clark, Rosalind Yehuda, sixties
She wears top and trousers by Rosalind Yehuda (shoes by Sacha). He wears suit and shirt by Blades (shoes by Chelsea Cobbler).


Well we all need help with that. Sadly, this just means in terms of temperature. Although it is very much on my wavelength about such things. I just don’t see the need to instantly strip off as soon as there is a hint of sunlight.

Still wearing a moderate weight vintage coat, I was being blown along the seafront last weekend and frowning at people walking along in shorts. Do they just have a different inner thermostat to me? Or did they, as I suspect, look out of the window, see the sunshine and feel a steely determination to wear as few clothes as possible and get down to the beach? Chillblains or no chillblains…

Even when it genuinely is rather balmy, I still don’t see any great need to strip off…I like clothes too much.

Anyway, enough of my rambling and on with this superb spread from The Observer Magazine, 3 August 1969. Not only do I love the clothes (both his and hers), but I love the settings and overall feel of the photos by Clive Arrowsmith.

Hot days in sticky cities can be miserable. But there’s no need to take to a beach dress or wear your tie draped round your nabel. Keep morale up, temperature down with cover-up clothes in lightweight fabrics styled simply in cool, clear colours.

Dress by Foale and Tuffin. He wears Cerruti.

She wears Marrian McDonnell (shoes by Shoosissima). He wears suit by Cecil Gee, shirt and tie by Turnbull and Asser.

She wears ensemble by Foale and Tuffin (shoes by Biba). He wears suit by Fex Brothers, tie and shirt by Turnbull and Asser.

She wears dress by Lee Cecil for Jetsetters (shoes by Sacha). Silk scarf by Tony de Celis (the man in these pictures). He wears Gordon Deighton at Trend.

She wears Ossie Clark (boots by Chelsea Cobbler). He wears top and trousers from Feathers.

HMS Pinafore

david hamilton, Foale and Tuffin, Inspirational Images, jeff banks, miss mouse, ossie clark, seventies fashion, Vogue, website listings

I love this shoot from Vogue, July 1972 by David Hamilton (not diddy DJ David Hamilton, I am assured) who seems to have specialised in these dreamy, misty, blurry photos which capture the spirit of a perfect, hazy English summer’s day…

I love pinafores and mock pinafores. Something harking back to my childhood, no doubt. I went through a very bizarre phase (I was rather prone to them, I must confess….) where I couldn’t bear to wear skirts or trousers. I was convinced they would fall down, they never felt secure or tight enough, even shoved up under my armpits. So I lived in dresses and, mainly for school, pinafores.

Who’s the virgin?

Foale and Tuffin, iain r. webb, mod, peter blake, the who, website listings

Up until Tuesday night, I was a Who-virgin. Now, thanks to Senti, Charley and Lola, I’ve popped my Who-cherry as well as my Albert Hall-cherry. I’ve worked there enough times, but never been to see anything.

It was amazing. In aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust (of which Roger Daltrey is a patron) they performed the entire Quadrophenia album from start to finish, with some stunning visuals from the archives, the film version and newly filmed inserts of Jimmy’s spoken parts.

Frankly I don’t know how they did it. It’s a toughie. But I’m just grateful that they did, and that I was there to see it.

Zak [Starkey] in a box

Then, hanging around fruitlessly at stage door afterwards, Charley spotted Peter Blake coming out and we decided to be geeky together and go and get his autograph. The other day I found myself sitting on a sofa at the Oxford Literary Festival, chatting to the truly amazing Sally Tuffin. (I couldn’t really spin that one out into a blog post of its own, unless I had recorded the entire conversation for posterity…which would be very rude.) Who would later mention her friend Peter Blake in her talk with Iain R. Webb.

It seems amusingly bizarre that I should be asking him (with chattering teeth) for his autograph after a Who gig less than a week later. Life is weird…

In honour of all this mod-ness, here is a rather fabulous red, white and blue striped jumper by ‘Gay Girl Knits’ just listed over at Vintage-a-Peel.

p.s Since some people complain that I never show what I am wearing to these things, I’m going to try and be a bit better about doing it. So here is me in my Celia Birtwell (for Topshop, I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to wear my Ossie Clark original to a Who gig!!) top and hair up. I don’t often put my hair up, but the rain was pouring and I was buggered if I was going to let it control my mood. So up it went!

Os-squee on Carnaby Street

1960s, british boutique movement, carnaby street, Foale and Tuffin, john stephen, ossie clark, pussy galore


Had a look around the new little Carnaby Street exhibition (at 38, Carnaby Street….shockingly enough) on Monday. Mixed feelings about this one, since it’s both brilliantly informative (I, personally, had no idea that London Mob were created to be sold out of Pussy Galore and makes me wonder exactly how rare actual Pussy Galore labels are….) whilst missing out huge chunks of important stuff (What? No mention of The Small Faces? For shame…) and being a bit strangely put together. It is a glut of information, and it’s always nice to see anything new about things you [think you] know inside out.

However, the displays are a bit cruddy, to say the least, and the book is completely hopeless. £16 for a glossy book of photos of the cabinets. Complete with shadows, so you can’t even read all the cards. Huh? I had also just been wandering around taking photos for myself, and no one told me off. So I saved myself £16 and probably did a better job for the purposes of retaining the new information.

Hmmm. I didn't take a photo of my very unimpressed face. I will leave that to your imagination.

The clothes they had borrowed from Pop Boutique were a bit hopeless. There was one Carnaby Street piece, a slightly dull Seventies Aristos dress, and the rest were just generic Sixties. Why didn’t they call me? They could have borrowed a psychedelic John Stephen dress, a Pussy Galore dress, a Foale and Tuffin….whatever. Strange people.

Precious....one day, one day....

On the plus side, alongside the information, there was an awesome clown-frill Foale and Tuffin blouse I wanted to rescue from being hung limply in a bizarre display. A lovely spliced film reel of Carnaby Street footage projects onto a wall. And, best of all, some photos by Philip Townshend. You can’t buy them officially, it would seem, and they appear in the ‘book’ only as photos of photos. So I just took photos of the photos myself. Pah.

Anyway, the excitement ensued from the fact that there’s a photo of Ossie, presumably standing in John Stephen where his graduate collection was sold (another factoid I was unaware of prior to this), and MY ‘Lips’ dress is hanging just behind him. And then it appears in another shot of a model. Woohoo. Squee squee squee.