Fashion Fashion in the 1960s and 1970s Includes extensive price guide by Zita Thornton A recent exhibition at the V&A museum explored the development of fashion in the 1960s and early 1970s. It was an entertaining and, for some of us, nostalgic trip back in time as we declared how we used to have one ‘just like that’ in the wardrobe. It was typical that even when the designers may have taken their inspiration from the past, for instance, the floor length Edwardian style dresses from Biba and her Deco patterns, or outfits from Mary Quant sewn from pin-striped flannel with knee length, frilled and ribboned knickerbockers peeping below their mini length skirt, their style was wholly creative and avant garde. New materials such as PVC and easy care polyesters added to this effect as did the eye popping colours, reds swirled with purple and orange, and the stark black and white of Op Art. Fashion in the 1960s was fun and youthful and, just as important, became accessible to all. Affordable styles were sold from trendy boutiques. You could while away a Saturday afternoon browsing in Carnaby Street or The King’s Road, Chelsea rather than visiting a department store with your mother. It was a fashion revolution and it was all happening in London. The haute couture fashion designers of Paris no longer dominated the scene. For those who have forgotten, or for those who always wondered, here is a guide to the prominent fashion designers of the time. Bill Gibb embroidered tulle gown, 1972-3. Sold £600 hammer, Kerry Taylor Auctions, Mary Quant June 2006. Picture courtesy Kerry Taylor Think of the sixties and the first name that springs to mind is Mary Quant. She is one of the designers credited as inventing the mini skirt, named after her favourite car, for which she later designed an interior. With her future husband Alexander Plunkett Green she opened a fashion shop called Bazaar in King’s Road, Chelsea. However, unable to find the kind of clothes she really wanted to sell she took to making them herself. The venture was a great success and led to the opening of a second shop in Knightsbridge in 1961. Mary Quant is associated with the Mod look of short skirts, 6 or 7 inches above the knee, waistless dresses and pinafores. Many of her designs featured the bold geometric shapes and colours of Op Art. Coats and accessories were made in glossy PVC. She created the ‘Chelsea Look’ widely modelled by Twiggy, the ‘face’ of the sixties, that we most associate with this period. In 1963 her designs were mass produced for the Ginger Group so those bearing the Bazaar label are more desirable. By the late sixties the Mary Quant daisy logo could be found on everything from tights, essential for wearing with minis, to make up and household goods. Her last great fashion introduction were ‘Hotpants’, shorts, often found with a pinafore top. In 1966 Mary Quant was awarded an OBE. 1 23 4 1. Hippy inspired garments, early 1970s, included this Thea Porter printed chiffon Ottoman inspired surcoat. Sold for £800 Kerry Taylor Auctions June 2006. 2 & 3. Mid 1960s Foale & Tuffin labelled crepe shift dress with narrow tucks from hip to hem and rayon pyjama suit. Fine and early Zandra Rhodes printed yellow 4. Mary Quant ‘Alligator’ black felted wool circular coat, late 1960s. Sold and white plastic coat/dress c1968 £2,200 hammer. Kerry Taylor Auctions, May Sold at Kerry Taylor Auctions in 2005. Picture courtesy Kerry Taylor December 2005 for £350 hammer. ANTIQUES INFO - July/August 07 Fashion BIBA parents to give them sewing machines for their 21st birthdays The décor of Barbara Hulaniki’s Kensington boutique BIBA, and made the clothes on the dining table of her South opened in 1964, was reminiscent of a turn of the century parlour. Kensington flat. Their first garments were dresses in flannel, one Dimly lit, with feathers in Art Nouveau vases, clothes were piled grey, one red, with white frills and kick pleats, which they sold up on Victorian tables or hung on bentwood coat racks. Her at Woodlands Department Store. Their success meant that they designs were soft, dreamy and romantic. BIBA offered a total needed more space so they moved to Marlborough Court, off look including hats, handbags, shoes, jewellery and make up, in Carnaby Street. At the time a shabby area, it was close to sludgy colours such as plum, brown and rust. Cheaply made and Liberty’s from where the girls bought their prints, and included cheaply sold it is a wonder that any have survived today but they them mixed together, in their designs. Their clothes were bright are keenly collected. So successful was BIBA that it moved to and fun. For women who could not wear the mini they intro- even larger premises, eventually taking over a whole department duced trouser suits. Popularised by Susannah York, the flattering store, formerly Derry & Tom’s. The Art Deco building inspired hipster trousers were sought after. In New York their designs her to use Deco patterns in her designs. In its heyday BIBA were produced under the Paraphanalia label. Foale & Tuffin attracted over 100,000 customers a week, including stars of the designs are currently undervalued. A pair of dresses can be pop and screen world, such as Cathy McGowan, presenter of bought at auction for less than £100. Ready Steady Go. They and other fashion designers were invited to party in the famous roof gardens with their live flamingos. Jean Muir Jean Muir was already a fashion designer in the 1950s, employed Foale & Tuffin by Liberty’s and Jaeger. In 1961 she established the Jane and Sally Tuffin is a name we most associate today with ceramics, Jane label. Five years later she opened her own business with but in the mid 1960s with her friend Marion Foale, she was her husband, which closed only this January. For forty years Jean known for clothes sold under the Foale & Tuffin label. Inspired Muir designed top quality, elegant, exquisite and demure by a talk from Alexander Plunkett Green they persuaded their clothes. Highly priced, it was the rich and famous who were her Early 1970s Ossie Clark dress made with Celia Birtwell feathers, printed chiffon. Sold BIBA fine tapestry weave coat, early 1970s. at Kerry Taylor Auctions, June 2006, £1,300 Jean Muir tomato red jersey cocktail dress Sold £400, Kerry Taylor Auctions May 2005. hammer price. Picture courtesy Kerry Taylor. c1978. Sold £400 hammer, Kerry Taylor Picture courtesy Kerry Taylor. Auctions, May 2005. ANTIQUES INFO - July/August 07 Fashion 7 biggest fans. At a time when the designs of others shocked, hers remained classic in style. It is said that a Jean Muir dress would last a lifetime. Well known for her award winning dresses, she was given the title ‘ La Reine de la Robe’ (Queen of the 1 dress) by the French. These dresses had graceful, fluid lines in her favourite jersey or crepe. Unlike Black polyester chiffon the bright patterns around her, she chose plain evening jacket, c1990s, with colours, often dark. She was admired by other pleated layered large collar designers, whom she influenced. Paul Gaultier & cuffs to flared sleeves, with label Gnyuki Torimaru. quoted her as his favourite. An archive of her life’s 4 Dreweatt Neate, Donnington. work was donated to the National Museums of Nov 02. HP: £250. ABP: £294. Scotland with a public viewing planned for 2008. Collection of dresses. 8 Into the 1970s Gorringes, Bexhill. Sep 99. As the 1960s gave way to the 1970s there was a HP: £10,230. ABP: £12,033. move away from the hard edged PVC Op Art style. Red polyester jersey evening ‘Flower Power’ and homespun handicrafts ruled. 2 dress, 1987, red sequined The fashion now was crochet, hand knits, tie-dye collar, cuffs and waist, and embroidered denim. Hippy travel inspired an swagged neckline, batwing sleeves and slashed back with ethnic, exotic look with beads, mirrors and bells. label Yuki, London, some wear to the sequins. Dreweatt Red pleated polyester satin Ossie Clark Neate, Donnington. Nov 02. evening dress, 1986, hood Ossie Clark began designing in the 1960s but his HP: £320. ABP: £376. type collar, full sleeves, free clothes were more in tune with the 1970s. His 5 form. Photographed as plate clothes, said to be the best and most wearable, were 113 in Yuki’s designs 1972- 1998, London 1998. Dreweatt well cut in crepe or chiffon and sold at Alice Neate, Donnington. Nov 02. Pollack’s Quorum Boutique in Chelsea. Using HP: £250. ABP: £294. fabrics designed by his wife Celia Birtwell, they were a creative team with a loyal following including Julie Christie, Bianca Jagger, Faye Dunawaye and Elizabeth Taylor. Birtwell prints were romantic, hearts, feathers and flowers, which Clark often mixed together on one garment. He used surface decoration such as embroidery, Ozzie Clarke lady’s full applique and beads. In 1966 he found several rolls length, backless evening 9 of snakeskin which he used for jackets and coats. Red pleated polyester evening dress, in black, with vertical Brown pleated polyester cock- He also produced tailored outfits, trouser suits, slash cut front, cut out back dress, 1992, the neck line, full tail dress, 1985, plunging fitted coats and jackets in wool and tweed. The sleeves and hem with boned and full bell sleeves. back with butterfly-type hoops. Photographed as plate Rosebery’s, London. May 06. sleeves centred with a rosette. most sought after Ossie Clark pieces are the early 139 in Yuki’s designs 1972- HP: £300.