Gear Guide

David Johnson, Roger Dunkley, drawings by Julia Stone, photographs by Bob Baker

Published by Atlas Pictorial Presentations, 1967

About this Item

Scarce in its original May 1967 edition, this copy is from the library of the poet R.A. Maitre, who has written his name on the title page and London 1967, underlined. 72 pages, with pictorial inner covers, billed as a "Hip-pocket Guide to Britain's Swinging Fashion Scene". Accordingly, quite a small volume, still tightly bound (stitched), and so difficult to photograph internally. The pages do not lie at all flat! The black and white photographs by Bob Baker feature Carnaby Street, two boutique fronts, I was Lord Kitchener's Valet shop fascia and fashion, and models and members of the public wearing fashionable gear, some - but not all - of it short-skirted. There are 10 evocative drawings by Julia Stone, who also designed this book. The text by David Johnson and Roger Dunkley covers the development of the London fashion scene, some of the key players (eg Bill 'Vince' Green, Andreas Spyropoulos, John Stephen, Mary Quant, John Michael, etc), some of the reasons why it spread in the UK and then abroad, and some of the influences upon it (eg Westerns, the space age and sports). There's then a shop-by-guide to places worth checking out, which is particularly interesting because it often says who is making the clothes being sold, where they are making them, and who actually owns the shops. For example, at Foale and Tuffin, popular with celebrities, the clothes are designed by Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin: "It is also notable that the products here are spoken of with respect by the art school crowd, a discerning 'with-it' group." This copy of the book shows some signs of wear and handling. There's some some minor spotting to the pages throughout, more on the title page than on any other page, and there's a small bump to the outer bottom corner of the pages, up to about page 50. The cover is a little worn and rubbed, and it's browned a bit along the spine, although it doesn't feel like it was ever all that white to begin with. All in all, a product of its time, like the fashion that it celebrates. On page 26 French fashion editor Peggy Roche is featured: "she maintained that the English do not care about fit, are bad at making good seams and have little idea about matching. Some of this may be justified but the new clothes are made to wear for short periods usually, not to last for years - fashion changes too fast for that, often now from month to month. The important thing is that the new clothes are bright, gay and essentially cheap." So a book of its time, but prescient too.

Seller Inventory # 000901

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Gear Guide
• Publisher: Atlas Pictorial Presentations
• Publication Date: 1967
• Binding: Soft cover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Fashion