Front row left to right: Jean Muir, Alice Pollock, Thea Porter. Second row: John Bates, Tim Gardner, Gina Fratini. Third row: Bill Gibb, Zandra Rhodes. Top: Mary Quant, Ossie Clark.
So many egos, so little space… I’m placing bets that Quant and Bates didn’t speak to each other for the duration. But it’s also nice to see Bates sitting with his friend Bill Gibb, and now I like to think that Alice Pollock and Thea Porter must have been quite pally as well.
Ok, so perhaps the term ‘must see’ is not necessarily going to apply to most [sane] people, but if you’ve got an appetite for the naff, kitsch or questionable tastes in life (and as a reader of my blog, I fear this may be the case…) then The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972) should be right up your street.
The film is based on the comic strip from Private Eye, written by Barry Humphries and illustrated by Nicholas Garland, and follows the eponymous Aussie hero as he fulfills his dead father’s wish to expand his cultural horizons in London. Ending up in Earl’s Court (where else?) a series of mishaps and misunderstandings lead Barry to an unspeakable dénouement in a TV studio. I am not even going to attempt to explain that.
Barry, Barry and Willie Rushton
Starring Barry Humphries in an early outing as plain old Mrs Edna Everage, Barry Crocker as our hero (Crocker is now married to Miss Peelpants-favourite Katy Manning and is best known to us ‘Pommy Bastards’ as the original singer of the Neighbours theme tune), and with cameos by Spike Milligan and Peter Cook, it is certainly quite an amazing period piece. Demonstrated perfectly with an incredible, possibly unique, shot of Barry and a friend walking down Marlborough Court. Yes, you can see Irvine Sellars ‘Mates’ boutique, Take 6, Aristos and Foale and Tuffin!!! Much excitement abounded….
Further still, one young lady is slinking around her apartment in the most perfect Zandra Rhodes outfit….
And then Peter Cook manages to floor me with a fabulous Betty Grable-printed t-shirt. I have no idea who this is by, so if any menswear geeks ever find out – please do let me know!
Scanned from the Supersonic Annual 1977.
“And there’s no permanent bird on the horizon either…so you’re all still available to be Freddie’s ’77 mate…a real supersonic hook-up!”
Scanned from Zandra Rhodes: Textile Revolution: Medals, Wiggles and Pop 1961-1971
Photo by Bill Cunningham.
I showed off my beloved Fulham Road Clothes Shop trousers, by Sylvia Ayton and Zandra Rhodes, the other day. But I’ve been waiting to show you the original photograph I have from a copy of 19 Magazine, July 1969.
John Bates for Jean Varon crepe panelled dress
I have finally found a moment to blog about the Pop Art exhibition at The Lightbox in Woking, which is only open for a short while longer. The Lightbox is a tremendous space; airy and light, quiet and tranquil, and it has been transformed (briefly) into a repository of incredible Pop Art paintings, sculptures and….things. The ‘things’ are what I’m most interested in; as the exhibition draws you into the central space in the gallery, you are shown the influence of Pop Art on everything from clothes, to homewares, right down to the groceries you could buy from Sainsbury’s in the Sixties.
The fabulous Katherine Higgins has co-curated Pop Art, and very kindly got in touch with me about loaning some pieces. Well now, I can’t resist an exhibition and I can’t resist a good rummage in my personal collection and so I delivered four pieces (and a bonus extra which I just happened to have on me at the time). The fourth and final has only just been put on display this very day, and so I do hope you are able to go along to The Lightbox and have a look. It really is an incredible collection of works by some undeniably iconic British Pop artists; including Pauline Boty, Allen Jones, Peter Blake and, now rather poignantly, Richard Hamilton.
Mr Freedom halter neck skater outfit with hidden surprise...
Saucy! (I'm allowed to do this because it's mine, but you might get told off!)
Fulham Road Clothes Shop trousers with Zandra Rhodes lipstick print (please note the perfect pattern placement on the crotch)
Foale and Tuffin 'Chrysler' mini dress c.1966
Last minute addition: Original plastic lip sunglasses
Pauline Boty
Richard Hamilton: 'Swingeing London'
Sweaters by Ritva
Jacket by Lloyd Johnson
Allen Jones
Grocery packaging
Photograph by Karl Ferris. Modelled by Charlotte Martin. Petticoat Magazine, March 1969.
Clothes by Sylvia Ayton and Zandra Rhodes at The Fulham Road Clothes Shop.
There’s just something about Seventies lingerie shoots which floats my boat. Something about the vaseline-smeared David Hamilton/Sarah Moon-ness (even when it’s neither of them), natural (and generally smaller-scaled) breasts and the lingerie itself is completely my favourite style. It’s got that Thirties edge, but with a saucy Seventies twist. I don’t have any Zandra underwear, I’m mainly kitted out by Charnos if you really must know, but this amazing shoot makes me want some right now!
It’s oh so quiet…
…over here, isn’t it? I haven’t turned to ice, or been out enjoying the snow too much to blog. No, I’m back in the West End, with my latest one-woman show….. ahhh, just joking! I’m back at the ballet, dressing the newest version of The Nutcracker and the schedule is a bit punishing for all involved. So I’m grabbing moments when I can, to post out my wares and try to keep on top of things. But sadly, it means that I’m barely able to keep up with all you lovely bloggers and get half of the things done before Christmas that I needed and wanted to do. Argh! Anyway, to keep you going until I have time/energy to blog again, here is one of my all-time favourite Vogue shoots from December 1975. Beauty and grace personified…
Apologies to any coulrophobes out there!
By John Bates
By Gina Fratini
By Jorn Langberg
By Bill Gibb
By Thea Porter
By Zandra Rhodes
Main dress by Hanae Mori
By Nettie Vogues
Karl Lagerfeld for Chloe
Just to let you know, I can still post out before Christmas although I wouldn’t recommend relying too heavily on the postal service, given current weather issues and Christmas rush. But even if it doesn’t get there in time, remember, a vintage piece is not just for Christmas…
Photographed by Ed Pfizenmaier.
Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Radical Rags. Early Seventies.
Liz Eggleston 