1960S FASHION AND TEXTILES
Fashion in 1960s London
This section explores the development of Sixties fashion from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s, linking it to London's different fashion districts.
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Paper Dresses
Paper dresses were a brief but spectacular Sixties sensation. They were cheap and disposable, and their simple 2-D shape was ideal for the bold graphic prints that were so fashionable.
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Established Traditions Mayfair 1955-1960
In the post-war period exclusive dressmakers and their wealthy clients set the standards, just as they had done before. They looked to Paris for inspiration but their work and lives revolved around the West End in London.
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Mary Quant: A New Approach Chelsea 1955–1967
Mary Quant's boutique, set up in 1955, epitomised the philosophy of the 'Chelsea Set' and set the standard for later entrepreneurs.
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Retail Innovation Knightsbridge 1961–1967
Until the Sixties Knightsbridge had been dominated by stuffy department stores. This was changed by Woollands opening the '21 Shop'.
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Menswear Revolution Piccadilly 1964–1970
Fashion-conscious young men set out to challenge the staid rules of masculine etiquette that had prevailed since Victorian times.
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The Rise of the Boutique King’s Road 1965–1970
Taking advantage of cheap rents on the King's Road, young graduates and enthusiastic amateurs opened their own boutiques. -
The Heart of Swinging London Carnaby Street 1964–1972
Carnaby Street became synonymous with the idea of Swinging London. Using the skills of the established Soho 'rag trade', it sold relatively inexpensive, trend-driven merchandise that mirrored contemporary changes in society and culture.
More on The Heart of Swinging London Carnaby Street 1964–1972
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Exoticism and Nostalgia London’s Bohemia 1967–1973
In the late 1960s futuristic themes gave way to exoticism, romanticism and nostalgia. Drugs, the counter-culture and the hippy trail to India suggested an alternative to the commercial fashion scene.
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Biba Kensington and Beyond 1964–1974
Through a combination of mail order, distinctive branding and an understanding of the customer's dreams, Biba set a template for the 'lifestyle' approach that would go on to support British retail successes in the 1980s and '90s.
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Out of London Paris and New York 1965–1968
Until the 1960s, London's clothing industry operated in the shadow of the great Parisian couturiers. But suddenly, with the growth of the youth market, London began to set the pace.