Retail InnovationKnightsbridge 1961–1967

Retail Innovation, Knightsbridge, 1961–1967, Sixties fashion display

  • Dress, John Bates, 1967



    Dress
    John Bates (1938-)
    1967
    PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
    Lent by Elizabeth Eggleston

    John Bates was the designer of Diana Rigg's wardrobe for the television series The Avengers in 1965. His striking use of metallic, plastic and transparent fabrics, plus the eroticism of some of his work, attracted press attention and looked good on the screen. But trading under his company name Jean Varon, Bates also produced more commercial products for the key department stores.

  • Dress, Gerald McCann, 1965



    Dress
    Gerald McCann (1931-)
    1965
    Silk, cotton and linen
    Lent by Elizabeth Eggleston

    Gerald McCann studied at the Royal College of Art and, like other RCA graduates, played an influential role in the development of the UK fashion industry. He designed a dress similar to this one as a paper pattern for Butterick. Paper patterns meant that anyone could wear the latest fashions for the price of a couple of yards of fabric.

  • Dress, Jeff Banks, about 1968



    Dress
    Jeff Banks
    about 1968
    synthetic jersey
    Museum no. T.95-1981
    worn and given by Sandie Shaw
    © Victoria & Albert Museum, London

    Jeff Banks trained at Camberwell School of Art and St Martin's College before opening his shop Clobber in Blackheath in 1964. The business grew rapidly and Banks retailed his designs in department stores across the UK and in New York. This dress was worn by his wife, singer Sandie Shaw. It combines a hippy Native American feel with a modern, short hemline.

  • Dress, Jean Muir, 1966



    Dress
    Jean Muir (1933-95)
    1966
    Suede
    Museum no. T.250-1978
    given by Mrs Ernestine Carter
    © Victoria & Albert Museum, London

    Unlike her art school peers, Jean Muir learned her trade in the fashion industry. Celebrated as a gifted dressmaker, she worked for Liberty, Jaeger and Jane and Jane during the 1950s and '60s. Her clothes were always a subtle demonstration of the sculptural qualities of fabric, with suede a particular favourite.