thea porter

Happily Ever After

1970s, alistair cowin, Buckle Under, charles jourdan, Elliott, erica budd, Foale and Tuffin, gladrags, Guy Humphries, Harri Peccinotti, Inspirational Images, kurt geiger, mary quant, Michael Foreman, mr freedom, pablo and delia, Sacha, shape, stirling cooper, terry de havilland, thea porter, vanity fair, Vintage Editorials, zandra rhodes
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White lawn dress printed with butterflies and flowers by Thea Porter. Straw hat by Buckle Under. Red wedge shoes by Kurt Geiger. Belt by Shape.

There’s a good reason why Vanity Fair is possibly my favourite magazine of this period. They were relatively conventional in the 1960s, and would ‘merge’ with Honey magazine around 1972, but in their death knells they were just about the most innovative magazine in the UK. Issues were often themed around ‘issues’, for example this one is entirely themed around break-ups and divorces (including a story on what a divorced man should wear when taking his kid out for the day).

Nor did they shy away from more expensive designer names, such as Thea Porter and Zandra Rhodes here, mixing them happily with the more affordable but still iconic boutique names like Stirling Cooper and Mr Freedom. Adding Foale and Tuffin, Pablo and Delia and Terry de Havilland into the mix for good measure, and all those stunning illustrations by Michael Foreman… this is one of my favourite editorials of all time.

Vanity Fair is also, frankly, a nightmare to scan because it falls apart at the binding with the lightest touch, which is why I don’t scan them as often. So enjoy the heaven of Harri Peccinotti’s work while I gently shuffle all the pages back into the magazine…

Photographed by Harri Peccinotti.

Illustrations by Michael Foreman.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vanity Fair, April 1971.

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Long grey crepe dress patterned with purple, green and red birds by Shape. Pablo and Delia suede thong necklace. Blue suede shoes at Sacha.

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Beige suede skirt with applique shapes and matching shawl by Mary Quant. Necklace from Buckle Under. Beige suede boots by Guy Humphries.

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Blue and white feather printed chiffon dress by Zandra Rhodes.

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Left to right: Chiffon blouse and multi-coloured skirt by Foale and Tuffin. Painted rainbow shoes from Mr Freedom. Painted belt by Shape. // Cream and red jersey catsuit (top only showing) and banded red and cream skirt both from Stirling Cooper. Red shoes by Kurt Geiger. // Cream, yellow and red jersey dress by Stirling Cooper. Pull on hat by Janice Peskett. // Red cotton t-shirt by Erica Budd. Cream dungarees from Stirling Cooper. Red python sandals at Elliotts.

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Above: Mauve satin cotton pinafore dress and blouse by Gladrags. Right: Bottom half of Alistair Cowin calico trousers with green printing. Green and yellow shoes by Terry de Havilland. Far right: Black velvet dungarees with white satin applique heart from Mr Freedom. Chiffon blouse from Foale and Tuffin. Mauve canvas boots at Charles Jourdan.

The Present Shape of Christmas

1960s, caroline smith, Queen magazine, Richard Winslade, thea porter

the-present-shape-of-christmas-1

…can be coped with from bed If you have a telephone, a writing hand, and a London address, why walk? Christmas can come to you.

Pretty much my idea of perfection, from the Thea Porter kaftan to the Caroline Smith poster on the wall…

Photographed by Richard Winslade.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Queen, December 1969.

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Celtic Summer

1960s, Elliott, Inspirational Images, Ken Lane, Lida Ascher, norman parkinson, thea porter, Uncategorized, Vogue
Fire Red Paisley - Norman Parkinson

Fire red paisley for a Celtic summer: The haunted house at Parc, near Afon Crosesor, where ghostly things happen all the time. Wild red flickering skirt, paisley and red gold organdie blouse with gold Turkish bodice. Skirt, blouse and top to order from Thea Porter. Fire red boots by Elliott. Sash pin from Ken Lane. Amber beads ,wrist scarf and long red scarf by Ascher.

Photographed by Norman Parkinson.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, July 1969.

Three Designers in Britain: Thea Porter

1970s, bill gibb, In Britain Magazine, Inspirational Images, Peter Kent, thea porter, Uncategorized, Vintage Editorials, zandra rhodes

thea porter in britain

If I were an elegant lady Jet-Setter, with empty closets to be filled and a blank chequebook – where in the world would I buy my clothes? Italy, for divinely coloured mix-match knitted tweeds and marvellous bags and shoes. Then Paris for shirts and skirts and trousers, made the way only the French know how, signed Dior and Lanvin and Eres and you-name-it. New York, why not, for the perfect sporty shirtwaister, signed Halston. And for that absolutely smash-hit long thing to wear any time after 6pm? London, without hestitation. Signed Bill Gibb. Or Zandra Rhodes. Or Thea Porter. How or why London suddenly happens to possess three such blazing talents in this specialised field is a mystery: but there they are, all three of them turning out dresses of such individuality and beauty that if I just spotted the name in a sale I’d snap it out almost without pausing to examine it: alas I could hardly afford it otherwise, for these designers are hardly typical. They are absolutely top-of-the-tree.

I was delighted to find this piece in a copy of ‘In Britain’ magazine, which appears to have been a magazine specifically for the high-end tourist market (perhaps for airports or travel agents?). Written by the Fashion Editor of the Daily Mail, Barbara Griggs, it covers three of Britains most ‘couture’ designers: Thea Porter, Bill Gibb and Zandra Rhodes. Firstly I bring you, Thea Porter.

Thea Porter is small and auburn-haired and quiet. She works flat out, dressed in ankle-length black velvet, in her small Soho shop crammed with precious scraps of brocade and prints and embroidery. There are rails full of her beautiful robes: the abayas – floaty dresses cut almost in a square – the clinging printed chiffons, the lavishly embroidered jackets to be worn with a plain black shirt, the silky pyjamas. Hallmark of the  perfect Thea Porter: an oriental richness. If the fabric is an exotic print or mix of them, the seams of the dress are piped in gold, or the belt encrusted with embroidery, or the skirt trimmed with frilled pleating. But Thea insists: “They’re meant to be worn very, very simply – with just a little real antique jewellery, perhaps.” Many of her dresses are sold straight off the peg: more are made up to order for favourite customers like Sarah Miles and Eartha Kitt.

Photographed by Peter Kent.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from In Britain, May 1973.

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Inspirational Images: The Secret of Being an Inscrutable Beauty

1970s, cosmopolitan, David Anthony, Inspirational Images, Julie Ege, pierre laroche, thea porter

Julie Ege in Thea Porter

Inscrutable means being “wholly mysterious” and after a summer of freckles and jeans maybe the time is ripe for the return of the cool, self-regarding beauty. Julie Ege, Queen of a thousand popping flash bulbs, without whom no première is complete, veils her flashing smile to emerge as the epitome of the new inscrutable woman, in our picture.

Dress by Thea Porter. Necklaces from the Purple Shop. Bracelets and rings from Jones, Beauchamp Place. Fur rug from Harrods. Make up by Pierre LaRoche for Estée Lauder. Hair by Oliver at Leonard.

Photographed by David Anthony.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Cosmopolitan, September 1973.

Apologies for the protracted absence! I am most definitely back, working on new blogs for both here and Shrimpton Couture Curate, and of course I’m still sourcing the best boutique vintage for you over at Vintage-a-Peel! xx

Inspirational Images: Chokers

1970s, Bibette, Bibette Wainwright, british boutique movement, Inspirational Images, richard imrie, thea porter, Vogue
Arabella Churchill and voilet velvet choker: Bead in flower and loop, £3 at Thea Porter (her ribbons have butterflies too). Gibson Girl hair by Patricia of The Cadogan Club, Sloane St.)

Arabella Churchill and violet velvet choker: Bead in flower and loop, £3 at Thea Porter (her ribbons have butterflies too). Gibson Girl hair by Patricia of The Cadogan Club, Sloane St.

Photographed by Richard Imrie.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, April 1970.

More about Bibette here.

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Indian glass bead choker, clever pretty patterns and tinkling fringe. One wide and black and white, £12, one narrow and yellow and orange, £6. By Bibette, at Thea Porter, 8 Greek Street.

 

Inspirational Images: Thea Porter and Pineapple

1970s, british boutique movement, chelsea cobbler, Harpers Bazaar, Inspirational Images, Just Jaeckin, laurakitty, thea porter
Embroidery from top to toe - pitch black design worked in panels on a natural calico shirt and knee length skirt, narrowly piped with scarlet; £24, Thea Porter. Natural canvas boots embroidered to match; 15gns to order, Chelsea Cobbler.

Embroidery from top to toe – pitch black design worked in panels on a natural calico shirt and knee length skirt, narrowly piped with scarlet; £24, Thea Porter. Natural canvas boots embroidered to match; 15gns to order, Chelsea Cobbler.

Excitement and anticipation is – quite rightly – building for the opening of the Fashion and Textile Museum’s new Thea Porter exhibition (6th February – 3rd May 2015). Guest curated by the lovely Laura McLaws Helms, who has also written the accompanying book, it is surely set to be the exhibition of the year. My Thea gypsy dress is somewhere in there, but having got a sneaky peek last week I can safely say that it will be blown out of the water by the extraordinarily beautiful pieces which have been gathered from a wide variety of sources (as well as ephemera from the archive and a recreation of her glorious dining room).

So to whet your appetite, here’s my dream Thea outfit (well, one of many…) — complete with matching embroidered Chelsea Cobbler boots.

Photographed by Just Jaeckin.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Harpers Bazaar, April 1970.

Random Theas in Adverts: Kraft Honeys

1970s, british boutique movement, thea porter, Vintage Adverts

thea gypsy - kraft - honey October 1970

Continuing my tradition of Random Ossies in Adverts, here we have a Thea Porter gypsy dress in a promotional piece for Kraft. You will be able to see plenty of not-so-random Thea Gypsies in the flesh next year as the gorgeous Laura Helms and the Fashion and Textile Museum open their new show on the 6th February 2015.

Emma Breeze

Way back in May of last year (remember?), Emma was talent-spotted by Honey as a young model with a golden future. And she has already made that come true.

Emma always dreamed of being a model, but thought she wasn’t skinny enough. So when she first came to London, she 9ot a job as a manicurist. But she found that got a bit boring after a couple of years.

At last she plucked up courage and went to a Model Agency. They welcomed her with open arms, and that was the start of her success story. Since then she’s often been in Honey, but this is the first time you’ve seen her simply ‘at home.’

She shares this flat near the Chelsea embankment. They’ve painted the hall pink and cerise, and papered the sitting-room with plum-coloured felt!

The place is usually full of people, but her terrier Wellington mostly approves of the company. He seems to approve of this Apricot Torte, too. You can whip it up in next to no time, using Kraft Superfine Margarine.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Honey, October 1970

Designer Focus: Bibette Wainwright

1970s, Bibette, Bibette Wainwright, Bill Holden, british boutique movement, Designer Focus, Harpers Bazaar, Inspirational Images, pre-raphaelite, thea porter

Bibette Wainwright

On beads and bibelots . . . and 23-year-old BIBETTE WAINWRIGHT, below, who wears them and makes them. Bibette, incidentally, spent three years at Bristol University and took a degree in psychology. Slim and delicate, with pale blonde hair and pre-Raphaelite looks, Bibette is a great health food fanatic, eats only macrobiotic foods. She works in her large studio-cum-bed-sit, bare save for the Larry Smart posters of Jimmy Hendricks [sic] and a motley wardrobe of granny dresses, silk pyjamas and fur coats, hung round the walls and collected from the antique markets which she spends hours exploring and which is where she first became interested in Victorian jewellery and beading. Tucked away under the window is her collection of beads. Clustering in boxes, beautiful glass beads — opaque Victorian glass, brilliant shining modern crystals. These she strings by hand into chokers and bracelets, belts and headbands. The designs are adapted from Japanese and Indian motifs, but sort of have a ’20s feel about them — and Bibette will design to order. From about 2½gns to 10gns, they are available from a selection at Thea Porter, 8 Greek Street, W1 or to order direct from Bibette at 26 East Tenter St, E1.

Photographed by Bill Holden.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Harpers Bazaar, April 1970

Inspirational Images: Chameleon Clothes

1970s, andrea pfister, baccarat, barry lategan, bill gibb, Inspirational Images, moyra swan, thea porter, Vogue
In the Baghdad Room of Topkapi, full of the ghosts of harem women, black and gold decorations to wear, baggy drawstring trousers, silks, velvets, netted and worked with gilded peacocks for a rich top with immense sleeves gathered in twice. By Bill Gibb for Baccarat. High lifted sandals at Thea Porter.

In the Baghdad Room of Topkapi, full of the ghosts of harem women, black and gold decorations to wear, baggy drawstring trousers, silks, velvets, netted and worked with gilded peacocks for a rich top with immense sleeves gathered in twice. By Bill Gibb for Baccarat. High lifted sandals at Thea Porter.

Photographed by Barry Lategan.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Vogue, November 1971

In the harem, green brocade with sleeves coming through and a pointed petal hem worn under Turkish evening blue - a coat the colour of the electric moment, panelled in scarlet and midnight and violet, flying pinked blue streamers. All to order at Thea Porter. Platform sandals by Andrea Pfister.

In the harem, green brocade with sleeves coming through and a pointed petal hem worn under Turkish evening blue – a coat the colour of the electric moment, panelled in scarlet and midnight and violet, flying pinked blue streamers. All to order at Thea Porter. Platform sandals by Andrea Pfister.