Check Mate!

I found a picture of a 1970's BUS STOP Jacket on Pinterest the other day.

This is one of my check jackets on the model Amanda Lear (who was a great socialite) - it was featured in the TV Times back in '73. At the time the jacket cost £9.95, and trousers £4.95, waistcoat £4.25.

It also featured in Vogue

and the one below I think is from Vanity Fair

 

Amanda Lear is just the most amazing character - read her Wikipedia entry to find out more!

Pinterest

I am slowly getting to LOVE Pinterest.  The content is so lively and different! One just finds the best possible pic and adds them! It's very immediate.

You can follow me and any pins that take my fancy here

Here are some of the pics I have pinned this week!

Last Thursday I went to the opening of the new showrooms for Kerry Taylor Auctions. She specialises in Antique costumes through the 20th century.

Below is the white dress from Audrey Hepburn designed by Givenchy.

And this Mondrian look alike I believe is from Yves St Laurent

This is a suit that belonged to the Duke of Windsor

On being introduced to her, she told me that she often gets Bus Stop clothes to sell!

If you want to browse the wonderful full catalogue for the sale - it's here

New Pics

I've added two new prints to my website - the inspiration was simply to leave serious fashion behind and do really BOLD designs in extra extra large sizes for possible Loft dwellings.

They have to look minimalist and simple.

Thoughtful

Kiss

Tonight or Never!

I saw a very stylish film last Sunday made in 1931 and starring Gloria Swanson - TONIGHT OR NEVER.

Although it was the usual feel good movie - boy meets girl, and a happy ever after ending - the clothes were what stood out for me!

Gloria Swanson's wardrobe was designed by Chanel, and they were absolutely sumptuous!

This is from the cinema viewing on Sunday, part of a programme on Chanel & Film at the V&A and Cine Lumiere

If you want to see these wonderful Chanel costumes for yourself, try and track down a copy of the film on DVD.

What A Purdey Outfit!

This recent blog with some great photos by Miss PeelPants reminded me that Joanna Lumley had once worn my halter neck two piece in an episode of The New Avengers.

Joanna must have also remembered it fondly because it features in her recent autobiography.

I intended it to be worn to show the midriff, as in these photos here from my book, but maybe with all the running around Joanna did in episodes of The New Avengers the demure way she wore it was more appropriate!

 

The wonders of the internet mean that you can now watch Joanna wearing the outfit in the relevant episode here on YouTube - she even rides a motorbike while wearing it at one point!





I will be writing other blogs about some Bus Stop outfits that had an iconic place in 1970s TV in the near future.

Turban Outfitters

This girl Shingal is lead singer with THE NOISETTES. She has a great singing voice -  check out "I'll Never Forget You" on YouTube if you don't know their music! What I really love is the way she dresses especially the turban!

Another current great turban wearer is Rihanna.

Eat My Playsuit

Here is a Woolly Playsuit (featuring loads of Bart Simpsons) that appeared in the Sunday Times Style Magazine last weekend (15.04.2012)

It reminded me of the blue stripe woolly playsuit I designed for Bus Stop in the 70's, shown here in Nova Magazine in 1972

                                                            

The Onesie - a Jumpsuit in disguise?

There seems to be an up and coming trend for "ONESIES", rather like Babygrows for grownups. They remind me very much of 1970s jumpsuits.

Here are 2 of my 1970's jumpsuits, which actually could still be worn now (if we had them!).

And here is Joan Collins back then wearing that jumpsuit in Black crepe printed with half moons. All these photos are from my book Bus Stop.

I didn't do clothes for men, but I wanted to share with you this ad for a man's 1970s jumpsuit, from the wonderful Retronaut website - the 1970s advertising copy is something I'm delighted has not come back into fashion!

The Observer outfit revisited

 

Hunting through all my 70's photo's looking for something to blog about, I came across a pic of me taken for the OBSERVER MAGAZINE.  This outfit was designed by me and made in crepe de chine.   I thought that it was a fun design and as well as a very small version perched at the top of this blog, I am also now using it for my new tee shirt, scarves and mugs all of which can be bought on my website

The other day, going to an appointment near Oxford Street, I happened to pass H&M, and having 5 minutes to spare - I couldn't resist going in and sussing it out!

I saw this spotty chiffon top - tried it on, and lo and behold it actually suited me! It was a bit thin and see through, but worn with a little strappy top underneath it looked good!

 

It reminded me so much of my 1970's outfit that appeared in the Telegraph Magazine worn by a gorgeous model called Verushka. (She was in the film with Terence Stamp called BLOWUP!). 

The shape of the top is exactly the same as the spotty one from H&M.  As you will see I have used curtain rufflette to draw up the neck!

The Body Clothed In Art

I have been asked by the Chelsea Arts Club, of which I am a member, to do a painting for their current exhibition "The Body Clothed in Art".

150 members (including Paul Smith, Peter Blake, Ralph Steadman, Theo Fennell, Ken Howard, Gray Jolliffe, Adrian George and Glen Baxter, so I am in good company!) were given these small canvases to paint, to be exhibited from Tuesday, and then auctioned for The Artists’ General Benevolent Institution.

Birds of a Feather Blue - Acrylic on Canvas

Birds of a Feather Brown - Acrylic on Canvas

 
I started off just doing the bright one - and decided I would do a less conspicuous one also to be paired together to make more impact!

Being first and foremost a fashion designer I thought both colour ways would give people a choice!

There was a huge audience at the Chelsea Arts Club on the launch day. I wanted to take photos but as it's a private club it's not allowed.

There will be a fashion show with catwalk models, a silent auction of the work, and later live music on Wednesday the 22nd of Feb so I'll find out then how much each of the canvases raised for charity.  All money raised will go towards the AGBI, and CAC Trust.


The full list of canvases for auction from the exhibition is here
There's also a list of all the fashion items up for auction here
Bidding can be made by both members and non-members, so if you see something that takes your fancy, put in a bid! 

vogue furs

These fur coats were featured in last months Vogue. I find it quite extraordinary how similar they are to the 70's furs that I designed.

Here are 2 one of them from my book.

KATE MOSS

Now that Kate Moss is leaving Top Shop, I might as well say that she knocked off one of my old Bus Stop
designs and called it her own for her collection for them.
The owner of the vintage website-vintage-a-peel, who has the original dress made me aware of this, and  was worried that that people may think that she has the Top Shop cheapo!

Picture of her here wearing the original and Kate Moss in hers.

new drawing

This is my latest drawing to be seen on my website www.busstoplondon.com