The Trend-Setting Fashion Boutiques of Swinging London

The 60s was an explosive time for British fashion and culture. London's new boutiques had faith in the agency of their trendy young shoppers to experiment with style. Suddenly British fashion was taken out of the silk-gloved hands of Mayfair and into the hands of ordinary people.

Biba

Abingdon Rd.

At the forefront of the popular styles of the 60s, Barbera Hulanicki’s famous boutique created clothes for skinny post-war babies, putting emphasis on the legs rather than the bust and hips. Biba began as a mail-order service; its breakthrough success came in May 1964 when Hulanicki offered a pink gingham dress to readers of the Daily Mirror, similar to one worn by Brigitte Bardot. The dress had over 4000 orders, leading to the creation of a shop proper later that year. Girls under 25 around the country took trains down to London just to visit the ornately decorated boutique, and sample Hulanicki’s dark “Auntie-coloured” mod clothes. Biba was responsible for putting the mini-skirt on the highstreet as well as some of the first maxi coats; its influence on British fashion is evident - and not just for vintage-lovers. Among its employees was a young Anna Wintour, later the editor of Vogue.

Bazaar

King’s Rd.

Mary Quant opened her boutique in 1955 at a time when “fashion wasn’t designed for young people”. She was part of a movement that tried to shirk London’s fashion traditions, fronted by Mayfair couturiers and their wealthy clientele. Her quirky and decidedly modern shop fit in with the Chelsea set: artists, beatniks, filmmakers and socialites that gravitated towards the King’s Road. She is one of the designers credited with inventing the mini skirt and hot pants.

I Was Lord Kitchener’s Valet

Portobello Rd., Notting Hill.

This famous boutique promoted antique military uniforms as fashion items. The look became a defining feature of Jimi Henderix’ signature style. Among its other famous clientele were Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and John Lennon. The now-iconic 60s military look became so popular with the disenfranchised youth that a number of outlets were opened around Carnaby Street and other London fashion hubs.

Lord John (& Mates Boutique)

Carnaby St.

Lord John has an important place in pop-culture history. The boutique largely imitated the mod-style of John Stephen, the self-styled “creator of Carnaby St” and 50s retail innovator whose methods are still used on the high street today, deserving of the “Lord” moniker (and potentially a profile piece on this blog!) While Mary Quant and Biba owned the female fashion stage, these two boutiques, opened by brothers Warren and David Gold, were revolutionary in the field of male fashion. By the mid-sixties, nearly every London-based band were wearing John Stephen’s styles, popularising the mod look we know and love: The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and The Small faces (who have remarked that their manager paid them in clothes from Lord John). Many see this as the moment that bands and fashion became bedfellows.

Kleptomania

Kingly St.

Another fashion-innovator deserving of his own article, Tommy Roberts opened his first shop Kleptomania in 1966, which was, essentially, a vintage curiosity shop. Like Lord Kitchener’s Valet, Roberts discovered the market for old military uniforms, then began bringing in new stock from upcoming designers and upcycling second-hand garments, which ultimately led to the foundation of their own label. In the years that followed, Kleptomania whole-heartedly embraced psychedelia: kaftans, incense, afghan coats, velvet flared trousers etc. Situated near the Bag O’ Nails nightclub frequented by the rock elite (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience), they would spill out into the street in the early morning, spot something they liked in the window and send someone round to get it the next day. After Kleptomania came the more famous Mr Freedom in the King’s Road and Roberts was established as fashion designer for the biggest names in music. Amazingly, after its closure in 1972, the shop was taken over by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren: here punk was born.

Granny Takes a Trip

King’s Rd.

The first psychedelic boutique in swinging London with perhaps the most iconic shop-front in British fashion, Granny Takes a Trip was the brainchild of journalist Nigel Waymouth and girlfriend Sheila Cohen, whose vintage clothing collection was becoming excessive. Savile Row-trained tailor John Pearse adjusted these garments into the preferred shapes of the time, even cutting up blouses or dresses and turning them into shirts for men. The flamboyant designs became a proponent of Pink Floyd’s early shows; allegedly Syd Barett took his dirty clothes to the boutique thinking it was a dry-cleaners. By the mid-sixties, the shop was world famous and had transformed the duller end of the King’s Road. Its influence was enormous on many of the boutiques already mentioned. Today, vintage shops as far afield as California and Sydney use the name Granny Takes a Trip.

/ Frederick and Pija x