Dedicated Follower of Fashion

This is my Mum standing in front of a block of flats in London in Brondesbury Park. It looks as though it could be the 50's. She couldn't afford to dress in designer outfits but you can see that she is interested in Fashion.

I Wish That I Knew What I Know Now!

Following on with my Then and Now illustrations of Lee Bender at Bus Stop originals, this was made for Bus Stop London in the 70's in striped cotton seersucker. The body in the Now version is the same just the tightness of the trouser changes. The original sold like mad at the time!

I wish I had it today with a little spot teeshirt!

You Wear It Well

This satin shirt was a favourite of mine from the Bus Stop days - the photo was taken by David Bailey and appeared in Vogue.  Here is how I see it being worn today. 

What Goes Around...

Fashion is cyclical and comes back every 30 years as you can see!

The smaller black/white photo is of a Bus Stop jumpsuit I designed in the 70's. Although it could still be worn exactly as it is, I feel that it could look more modern and "on-trend" with narrower trousers and a little tee shirt. What do you think?

 

 

 

Knife Story

I bought these knives last week after having seen a pic of them in a magazine . They are in my kitchen on show as an art object and the blades are made of steel and "sharp as a knife"!

The Price of Smoking!

Last week I went to the ART 13 show at Olympia. It was a good exhibition and rather quirky! This was a little sculpture in Resin, the price of which slightly took my breath away

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This piece, by American pop artist Mel Ramos, was priced at £150,000!

Modern Ballet

I saw a very interesting modern ballet last week at the Barbican. It was from Brazil and the name was Deborah Colker and her group (or Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker in Portuguese).   I am a serious ballet lover, but this group are extraordinary!

London Fashion Week

From Pinterest. Love the mushrooms!

I am very much enjoying being on Pinterest (you can follow my boards here) but it is interesting to see that all the new styles for London Fashion Week are on there really quickly after the collection has been shown! Why bother to go to the Catwalk shows??

PS - Look at the audience, I'm not sure if I would have chosen to wear the red tights with the beard and moustache...

Winter Warmers

Here are my divine leather gloves almost elbow length and studded!  Perfect strangers come up to me in the street and remark on them....even if I don't look trendily dressed the gloves make me more so!

The 70s Revisited

Looking through next seasons Chanel collections I noticed this outfit, which I have illustrated. Lagerfeld must have looked up 70s London fashions and came up with this. Is it just the ultimate 70s homage or what??

A 70s inspired design from Chanel's new 2013 collection, illustrated by Lee Bender

Absolutely Fabulous!

I was recently interviewed by a journalist from Notting Hill's Absolutely magazine and there's a double page article in the new issue out now.  If you don't live in the area, you can read it online here (page 30-31)

Bus Stop featuring in this month's Absolutely Magazine

Bus Stop featuring in this month's Absolutely Magazine

The Big Life Foundation

My son, Nick Brandt, is a wildlife photographer & filmmaker. He has founded the Big Life Foundation, a charity in Africa that runs anti-poaching patrols to conserve elephants and other wildlife. 

Big Life have just produced a short film highlighting their work, which has been featured in various publications, including the last month's New York Times, you can watch it here.

Elephant Drinking, Amboseli 2007. Killed by Poachers, 2009. Photo by Nick Brandt

How I work when illustrating

This is how I tend to work when producing illustrations.  There are three main stages.

No. 1  Often I will  find something that gives me an idea for the finished drawing. In this case it was this funny hat seen in the Net-a-Porter website.

Net-a-Porter hat

No.2  I draw a rough idea, and at this stage have no pre-conception of how to go forward with the colour or design until I start.

Initial rough design for one of Lee Bender's fashion illustrations

No.3  In this case I decided to use only pens (I usually also work in watercolour) as I thought that an "in your face look" was more appropriate for this illustration.  As you see it came out in red, and I thought that Turquoise sunglasses would make it look better than matching red! Striping the hat instead of copying the photo I thought would make it stand out more!

Finished fashion illustration by Lee Bender

Sarah Jane and Doctor Who

Bus Stop clothes would often be worn on TV and in Films - I've already blogged about Joanna Lumley and the Bus Stop clothes she wore as Purdey in The New Avengers.  One of the most regular wearers of our pieces was the character of Sarah Jane in Dr Who, played by Elisabeth Sladen. 

Here are a some of stills of Elisabeth wearing Lee Bender at Bus Stop stripes

Doctor Who's Sarah Jane wearing Lee Bender at Bus Stop clothing

Doctor Who's Sarah Jane (played by Elisabeth Sladen) wearing Lee Bender at Bus Stop clothing

Doctor Who's Sarah Jane (played by Elisabeth Sladen) wearing Lee Bender at Bus Stop clothing

These are similar to this Lee Bender at Bus Stop striped jacket. From 19 Magazine (70's)

Lee Bender at Bus Stop. From 19 Magazine (70's)

But the Sarah Jane outfit that is considered iconic is the Andy Pandy jumpsuit - also a Bus Stop outfit. It featured in Doctor Who story The Hand of Fear.

 Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane (wearing her iconic Lee Bender at Bus Stop Andy Pandy Jumpsuit) and Tom Baker as Doctor Who

That iconic Lee Bender at Bus Stop Andy Pandy Jumpsuit

Youtube being the wonder that it is you can even watch the relevant Andy Pandy jumpsuit episodes here

Fashion Illustration

I love the fact that despite this digital age fashion illustrations are making a resurgence. Vogue and the Sunday Times Style Magazine amongst others are increasingly using them alongside photos of the latest pieces. Here are some of my recent illustrations of the latest trends. 

Blumarine

Dolce & Gabbana

Meadham Kirchhoff

Bus Stop Mail Order

I was asked to feature the best of the Bus Stop Collections for Grattan mail order in the late 70s, and did this for 6 years.


As I chose the photographer and art director myself from the pages of the best magazines, my pages for Grattan were far superior to theirs, and set a standard for their own pages in years to come.

Famous Faces

Bus Stop clothing was often modelled by famous faces, here are a few selected from my archives:

Although this looks like a boring sweatshirt now, it was one of the first of its kind before they became commonplace. Debbie Harry is wearing it with my Lee Bender at Bus Stop satin jeans. I manufactured then in Florence.

Debbie Harry wearing Lee Bender at Bus Stop

A young Greta Scacchi in Lee Bender at Bus Stop. Cosmopolitan 1978.

Greta Scacchi in Lee Bender at Bus Stop c1978

A very young & dark-haired Jerry Hall wearing Lee Bender for Bus Stop. June 1976 Womans Realm

Jerry Hall in Lee Bender at Bus Stop c 1976

These pics of Barbara Bach (who has been married to Ringo Starr since 1981) wearing Lee Bender at Bus Stop both appeared in the Sunday Times Magazine circa 1976. These pics also appear in my book Bus Stop and the Influence of the 70s in Fashion Today

Barbara Bach in Lee Bender at Bus Stop c 1976

Barbara Bach in Lee Bender at Bus Stop c 1976

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.