Scannin’ some Bourdin’in

1970s, bill gibb, guy bourdin, Inspirational Images, janice wainwright, john bates, nova magazine

Dress by John Bates at Jean Varon

An amazing Guy Bourdin photoshoot from Nova, December 1972.

I’m missing a precious Annacat/Ossie page (don’t even get me started on magazine sellers again…) but what’s left is still pretty amazing. Honestly, modern fashion photographers can only hope to come close to such works of art created by innovators like Bourdin.

Top: Sheilagh Brown for Coopers, Bottom and below: Janice Wainwright

Janice Wainwright

Dress by Bill Gibb

Top: Sheilagh Brown for Coopers, Bottom: John Bates for Jean Varon

Dress by Gillian Richard

Inspirational Images: Bill Gibb, 1974

1970s, bill gibb, Inspirational Images

I love collecting old press agency photos whenever I can, and frequently forget that I have them. One day I will have all the wallspace in the world upon which to display them. Until then, I must remember to scan the odd one for your delectation.

Cindy Présente Une Robe d’Automne

Voici déjà desmodèles de la mode d’automne etd’hiver. Il s’agit d’ici, d’un des modèles de la collection de Bill Gibb, de Londres, une robe au style “pré-raphael”, ample, à plis et brodée de fleurs, que CINDY présente avec grace.

4 Mai 1974 AGIP

I’m not quite sure how much grace Cindy is demonstrating in her modelling of a beautiful Bill Gibb dress, but it makes me giggle every time I look at it.

Inspirational Images: Pat Cleveland in Zandra Rhodes

1970s, Ed Pfizenmaier, Inspirational Images, pat cleveland, radical rags, zandra rhodes

Pat Cleveland wearing a silk screened chiffon Zandra Rhodes caftan in the Manhattan residence of interior decorator Angelo Donghia.

Photographed by Ed Pfizenmaier.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from Radical Rags. Early Seventies.

Inspirational Images: Joan Buck in Ossie Clark

1960s, celia birtwell, Inspirational Images, joan buck, ossie clark, radical rags

Joan Buck in Ossie Clark. Didier Duvall. Date unknown, late Sixties. Scanned from Radical Rags.

A delicious image in so many ways. A messy bed, creativity flowing, casually pulling on your Celia-print Ossie whilst looking into an impossibly tiny but beautiful mirror…

Inspirational Images: Annacat, 1969

1960s, annacat, british boutique movement, hats, Inspirational Images, Vogue

Annacat outfit. Vogue’s Own Boutique. Vogue, May 1969

Inspirational Images: Dolly girls

1960s, Inspirational Images

Yet another incidence of an average 1970s or 1980s-produced ‘History of Fashion’ book where the text is cliché-ridden and lousy, but then some amazing and rare images seem to make up for it, and then you try to find out who took the photo, when they took it and what it features, and fail dismally. Or AANONPHOFBWTTICRALBTSAARISTMUFIATYTTFOWTTPWTTIAWIFAFD as an acronym. Mmm….catchy!

Well this is clearly Sixties, probably around 1967, and appears to at least belong to someone called Michel Molinare (although I can’t be sure if he is the photographer). But I think it’s a beautiful shot, and very inspirational at a time when I’m definitely in need of it. Still working hard on the first big batch of Autumn/Winter pieces for Vintage-a-Peel, and just generally dealing with life. I hope you can all bear with me, and I would just like to thank you all very, very profusely for the lovely comments you’ve been leaving me lately. They really do cheer me up immeasurably, and spur me on, so thank you….

Inspirational Images: Donbros knitwear

1970s, boots, Inspirational Images, knitwear, petticoat magazine

Petticoat, September 1971

Bagsy the middle outfit with the purple boots on the right…..so there!

This must be underwater love….

1970s, biba, cherry twiss, flip schulke, Inspirational Images, mary quant, ossie clark, telegraph magazine

White pleated dress; £30 from a selection at the Prop Shop, 51 Old Church Street.

I can’t believe I’ve never scanned this before. Honestly, the backlog of scanning is ridiculous due to time constraints and the fact that all magazines other than early Honeys are a very Bad Size for my scanner. When will I ever have an A3 scanner? When will I ever have the room?

Anyway, this is an utterly delicious shoot from The Daily Telegraph Magazine, July 1972, featuring some seriously beautiful clothes actually worn underwater in the Bahamas. I must admit that part of me winces at the idea of a silk chiffon Ossie being ruined in the name of a photoshoot. But, then, this is an incredible shoot…and no one would dare do it now, with a vintage piece, so it’s totally unique. I genuinely think that Cherry Twiss is one of the great unsung heroes of British fashion journalism, I’ve always loved the Daily Telegraph Magazine shoots under her direction.

Fashion Editor: Cherry Twiss

Photographer: Flip Schulke

Model: Cathy Shirriff

Also, unfortunately, the Telegraph had a pretty lousy print at times – especially when it came to the small ‘inset’ images. I’ve done my best, but they’re low-res to start with I’m afraid. Still very enjoyable and inspirational though…