70s Style and Design

70s style and design, amanda lear, biba, book reviews, david bowie, janice wainwright, malcolm bird, mr freedom, noosha fox, seventies fashion, thea cadabra

There are many reasons to slobber and pore over Dominic Lutyens and Kirsty Hislop’s superb book 70s Style and Design, but the most spectacular image, for me, is the incredible shot of Noosha Fox which opens this review. I really do struggle to do ‘regular’ book reviews; I just want to scan the pretty images and gush most tragically over the contents. Assuming the contents are gush-worthy, but you needn’t worry about that with Seventies Style and Design.

From start to finish there are more lush visuals on offer than any other book tackling the era. It suffers, if suffering is exquisite, from the same problem as Marnie Fogg’s Boutique book in that, frankly, you’ll probably read it about twenty times before you actually come close to reading the text. I sat down, determined to read it from cover to cover for this review, and my determination was flagging after the midway point because I just wanted to gaze at the images. Which in turn got me thinking about the potential of a ‘double book’ where you have a separate tome dedicated to the images, and can sit down and properly concentrate on the written word; clearly researched extremely well and full of ‘new’ information, which just gets lost or swiftly forgotten amongst the visuals. Tricky, but well worth it, I reckon.

Biba in Nova

My gushing only hesitates at two issues, which is quite amazing for picky little me. The first is probably too general to explain properly, the second is horribly specific.

Firstly, the ‘theming’ of the subject matter into edible chapter-sized chunks (Pop to Post-Modernism, Belle Epoque, Supernature and Avant Garde). I completely understand the motivation behind this, and the themes aren’t your average “chapter one: Psychedelia, chapter two: Glam Rock” type. Thank goodness. Thought and care has gone into them. But it’s always going to struggle a bit in an era which the authors even admit was something of a ‘free for all’ in its style and design themes. You could be forgiven for exiting from the last page with an idea that the Seventies was relentlessly fabulous, iconic and glamorous in its appearance. They even make punk look mouth-wateringly elegant. It is wide in its coverage, but it still orbits only in the atmosphere of what is now perceived to be interesting, beautiful and/or iconic. Which is a curious kind of Russian doll trap, given that the chapter on the Art Deco revival goes into the very interesting notion of cherry-picking from the Twenties and Thirties.

“A defining characteristic of all this Biba fuelled nostalgia or ‘retro’ – a word first coined, appropriately, in the 1970s – was that it wasn’t purist but pluralist. Many of its fans were too young to have witnessed these eras, and so interpreted them in whichever way they fancied, usually viewing them through rose-tinted lorgnettes and blithely glossing over such crises as the 1926 General Strike and the Great Depression.”

Page 73, 70s Style and Design

I’m not sure how self-aware the authors are, but it amused me to see this in a book which itself contributes to the modern synthesis of the Seventies into a more glamorous, louche and decadent era than most ‘average’ people who lived through it would recall. I know I’m guilty of much the same thing, especially when writing my blog and listing my wares, but I’m also deeply attracted to the more mundane, everyday primary sources. I love dull, contemporary documentaries, unfunny and borderline-gloomy sitcoms, films and dramas, pictures of slightly iffy looking people in iffy looking clothes and naff interiors and objets. It can’t always be high-gloss, high-sparkle.

I know examples of bad taste are ‘clichés’, but many great aspects of the Seventies are in danger of becoming as much clichés themselves. See the likes of Lady GaGa. When one becomes tired of Bowie, has one become tired of life? Sadly, I have found myself pondering this lately.

Saying that, it’s always wonderfully refreshing to read a book about Seventies design which doesn’t set out to sneer or incite howls of I-can’t-believe-people-dressed-like-that laughter.

Amanda Lear in an advert for paint

Plus, high-gloss and high-sparkle are exactly what we need these days. And I don’t blame anyone choosing to jettison Gloomy Style and Design from their research, not least because the book would be twice the length and half the fun with those things included.

A waitress at ‘Mr Feed’em’

My second criticism, and it really is horribly specific, is the omission of Janice Wainwright. There! I said it was specific. If you want a pure-as-the-purest-spring-water example of the best of the Seventies aesthetic, I would say she was high up amongst the greats. Ossie, Biba, Mr Freedom, Bill Gibb are included, certainly, but Janice remains as yet unsung. In a book which gives us references to Universal Witness, Antony Price’s Plaza, Manolo Blahnik’s Zapata, Strawberry Studio and Kitsch-22, it seems a shame to leave anyone out!

Mouth-watering textiles

What I love about the design of the book is that there are plenty of full-page, high quality images which have never been seen before, interspersed with a more scrapbook-esque mish mash of visual references. Adverts, photoshoots, posters, labels; some are annoyingly small but it’s just so nice to see them all included without any detriment to the written word. The inclusion of many lesser-known designers and characters is quite wonderful; I hadn’t encountered Thea Cadabra and her incredible shoes (see front cover) before, and now I’m a bit obsessed.

Also, any book which contains a half page reproduction of a Malcolm Bird illustration, the aforementioned full page photo of Noosha Fox and which uses the word ‘splendiforously’ is always going to take pride of place on my bookshelf.

Highly recommended for any vintage wishlist this Christmas (and beyond).

Malcolm Bird’s illustration for Biba

Peek Inside The Boutique: Biba

barbara hulanicki, biba, british boutique movement, seventies fashion, telegraph magazine

BIBA

254 Kensington High Street, W8

Biba, probably the best known of all the boutiques, began business six years ago with a mail order offer of a gingham shift and scarf for 25s, because fashion illustrator Barbara Hulanicki thought it was impossible to buy inexpensive well designed clothes and decided to do something about it. At the end of last year, in premises 16 times the size of the original boutique in Abingdon Road, Biba opened as a store selling not only clothes but also accessories, make up and home furnishings, Barbara Hulanicki’s distinctive style is carried through all her designs, sold only at the store and by mail order catalogue. She works with her husband, Stephen Fitzsimon.

Hair by Barbara Hulanicki. Photographs by Duffy.

Scanned by Miss Peelpants from The Daily Telegraph Magazine, July 17th 1970

Barbara Hulanicki in the store, where carpets and furnishings have all been designed with complementary colours and patterns. Child’s dress, 6 gns.

On the mezzanine floor. Crepe coat and trousers, 15 gns

Mirrored on the staircase: a slim crepe dress, 9 gns.

Printed Tricel dress, 9 gns.

Hair by Barbara Hulanicki. Photos by Duffy.

Peek Inside The Boutique: marrian-mcdonnell

brian duffy, british boutique movement, christopher mcdonnell, marrian mcdonnell, seventies fashion, telegraph magazine

Christopher McDonnell in the South Molton Street boutique. The model wears a blouse and layered culottes in organza, 42 gns.

I love these sparse and splendid boutique insights you can occasionally glean from vintage magazines. A while ago, to my shame, I promised that I would scan the entire of this July 1970 Telegraph Magazine article on London boutiques. Slap my wrist and call me Kate Moss, I clean forgot. I intend to amend, starting with marrian-mcdonnell.

marrian-mcdonnell

45 South Molton Street, W1 and 80 Sloane Avenue, SW3

The first Marrian-McDonnell boutique opened in Sloane Avenue in April 1966. Christopher McDonnell, who had been a fashion editor with Queen magazine, where he met Mary Ann Marrian, designed clothes that were casual but elegant. A whoesale range was produced soon afterwards to meet the demand from other stores, and now the partners export to the U.S. and Scandinavia, too.

In 1968 the second boutique opened in South Molton Street, and its success emphasises Christopher’s flair for giving a touch of glamour to classic fashion.

The Daily Telegraph Magazine, July 17th 1970

(This photo by Guy Cross) Safari jacket, 13 gns, knitted trousers and floor length coat, 19 gns.

Typical Marrian-McDonnell ensemble is this cotton midi-dress with matching sleeveless coat, 20 gns.

Outside the dressing rooms, jersey jumpsuit, 13½ gns, worn with zip-fronted snakeskin jacket, 45½ gns.

Hair by David at Michaeljohn. Photos by Duffy.

Gimme Biba

biba, keith richards, menswear, seventies fashion, the rolling stones

I have just listed a rare piece of Biba menswear over on eBay. Not only is it a rare piece of Biba menswear, it’s also the same print as one worn by the divinely dissolute Keith Richards. I’m 99.9% certain that Keef’s is a bit of ladieswear, probably stolen from a girlfriend or even just from the rails of the boutique (as so many people did) but it’s a pretty cool coincidence nonetheless, non?

In other news, I would like to say hello to anyone who has just found me via The Guardian’s ‘Internet Picks of the Week‘ feature. Hello! If you want the promised feature on Scopitones, you can find that here.

Chirpy chirpy, not very ‘Cheap Cheap’….

jo grant, katy manning, middle of the road, mr freedom, olivia newton john, sally carr, seventies fashion

Thank you thank you thank you, lovely anonymous reader (please let me know your name or online ‘alter-ego’ so I can say thank you properly) who commented on the previous post with this amazing vintage spot.

Sally Carr from Middle of the Road, wearing the iconic Mr Freedom hotpant outfit. It also came with the knee length variation, as worn by Olivia Newton John.

It was also worn by Miss Peelpants favourite, Katy Manning (Jo Grant in Doctor Who) for a few publicity shots, although I have no idea if she was in the hotpant or baseball short variation.

It was clearly one of their most popular pieces, and does occasionally turn up at auction (with an appropriately hefty price tag). I have never owned the complete ensemble, but I do have a polka dot ‘skater’ dress with matching frilly knickers by Mr Freedom, which I must photograph and share very soon.

Thank you, also, for introducing me to Sally Carr as a potential style icon. I haven’t found many decent photos online just yet, but she does seem to be a hardened hotpant girl (which is to be admired, worshipped and generally cooed over).

Distracted by men. Again.

brighton, menswear, seventies fashion, telegraph magazine

I went to scan a fabulous hotpant-themed fashion spread in the Daily Telegraph Magazine from 1971, and instead I found myself scanning in menswear adverts. Whoops….still, dreamy or what? I am particularly loving Mr Brighton, above. Hotpants tomorrow….

Inspirational Images: Pat Cleveland as Josephine Baker

alan kaplan, Inspirational Images, josephine baker, pat cleveland, seventies fashion, Vogue

By Alan Kaplan for Italian Vogue, late Seventies

Lazy August Days….

british boutique movement, chelsea girl, Eighties Fashion, goth, hotpants, jeff banks, louis caring, paraphernalia, sarah whitworth, seventies fashion, sixties, website listings

But I can’t stop working. Apologies for the mixed bag of listings, we’re still straddling two seasons at the moment (fashion-wise) so I’m trying to keep it light but trans-seasonal. This is harder than you might think. I’m also working on Autumn-orientated listings which will be coming towards the end of the month in preparation for a luscious September (fingers crossed). I might sneak the odd incredible designer piece on the block before then though, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

But what am I talking about? I’ve got a few amazing pieces just listed now, including Jeff Banks, Louis Caring, Paraphernalia and Sarah Whitworth.

Happy Birthday Queen Kate

Eighties Fashion, kate bush, picture spam, seventies fashion, Style Icons

Bush, that is. I need little or no excuse for un petit spam d’image of the lovely lady…

Psssst…..

autumn, barry lategan, granny takes a trip, Inspirational Images, Make-up, mr freedom, Ms Peelpants' rants, platforms, seventies fashion, suede, Vogue

Vogue. September 1970

…is it wrong to secretly be longing for it to be autumn?

Perhaps I bore too easily. More likely, it’s because I can’t bear being too hot. And, also, because I bore easily. I love my summer dresses, and there’s nothing quite like being able to leave the house without a jacket, cardigan and sometimes even sans shawl. But that very human tendency to want what you can’t have means that I start looking longingly at my long-sleeved crepe, velvet and polyester dresses, all taking a well-earned summer holiday. I keep having to bare my legs to the world. I miss tights! I also long to come out the other side of ‘ironing season’. Because I’m extremely pernickety and I insist on ironing all my cotton dresses, so that is rather my own fault. But still…

It also means that, gripped by the blindingly bad mood of a Really Bad Week (last week), I somehow wander into the shops and somehow buy the pair of buckled suede purple platforms I’ve been coveting since they appeared in store in June (when I was, officially, looking for a pretty pair of sandals for my holiday). Somehow I justify this by the fact that I waited three weeks, and that they might disappear by a more appropriate buying time. It’s less ridiculous to buy them in July than in June. I’ve had my summer holiday, ergo I can start thinking about an autumn getaway and the pretty suede shoes I might need for that. Ahem.

On a more practical, businesslike level, it also means I am gripped by confusion on what to list over at Vintage-a-Peel. Summer is pretty much silly season for vintage. No one is around and no one is really buying summer stuff once mid-July hits. At least, that’s always been the received wisdom. But, as a business, I cannot take a school holiday-length break from the world and come back in September with all my velvets and crepes. So I have to keep going.

High Street and designer shops are horribly clever. They know, that you know, that they will ensure that the most covetable pieces are going to sell out before you are ready. And so you pounce, and they can actually make money in hot and stinky August (after they’ve made their money in hot and stinky July when you’re throwing money at their summer sales. Often featuring items which have been in the summer sales for three years running as well).

I still haven’t come to any conclusion about this, in case you were wondering whether I had discovered the answer, I am just musing aloud. But, in case anyone feels the same way, I just wanted to make my confession. I’m really looking forward to the autumn.