Happy 55th Birthday Carnaby Street (July 9th)

 

 

Firstly I’m gonna start by wishing a Happy 55th Birthday to The Carnaby Street we know today
Carnaby Street has a huge reputation for such a tiny street, just a cut through street from Regents Street to Soho.
Before 1960 it was not notorious at all, with just a few warehouses & tailor supplies for the nearby Saville Row.
Being just a 3 min walk from Soho, the street firstly became popular with the gay community, then when the Mods came across it, it became known, and the place to shop.

Major music artists managers all had their offices on or around the street in the 60s….
Brian Epstein on Argyll Street, Robert Wace on Kingly Street, Andrew Loog Oldham on Maddox Street, Don Arden on Carnaby Street,
so bands such The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Small Faces, The Kinks & The Who would get their suits on Carnaby Street because they liked the modern cut, bringing together music, fashion & art & putting Swinging London firmly on the map!

 Other people to shop on Carnaby Street were Twiggy, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix & an unknown face Mark Feld later to become Marc Bolan.
“The high street for the stars” – Robert Orbach from Lord Kitcheners Valet
New independent fashion boutiques were popping up one by one Lady Jane, Take 6, Male West 1, Lord John, Kleptomania, Gear, Lord Kitcheners Valet, Foale & Tuffin to name but a few





 



I couldn’t end this piece without mentioning the “King of Carnaby Street” Mr. John Stephen. John Stephen was the first to open a boutique on Carnaby Street in 1957, after a fire in his premises in Beak Street.
John’s boutique His Clothes grew popular for their coloured jeans and Breton shirts & John Stephen was the first person to import Levi Jeans to the UK
Carnaby street peaked in 1967 and has never quite been the same again

Today the shops that line Carnaby Street are Liam Gallaghers Pretty Green, Lambretta Clothing, Irregular Choice, The Kooples..
I’ve done a little bit of Cyber Shopping for you here and have picked an outfit that can all be found on Carnaby Street today
(In my opinion, nowhere near as fun as some of the clothing being sold or worn on Carnaby Street in the 60s, but as Bob Dylan once sang…. the times are a changin)


 

Supertrash swift skirt £90. Cheap Monday Glam perspex sunglasses £25. Dr. Martens Aila shoes £125. Skinnydip bee clutch bag £45. Peckham Rye Boulevard Golden silk scarf £65. Classic plain white Pepe Jeans linen shirt £65

I hope you have enjoyed reading this, I’d love to read your comments
Hayley xx