Vintage Clothing and Fashion from the 60s, 70s and 80s
Welcome to Clothes Junkie where we celebrate British Vintage fashion from the 1960s onwards. Please read our articles on the famous vintage designers that influence much of today’s fashion styles you see in the high street.
Ossie Clark
Ossie Clark was a fashion designer who was famous for outrageous designs for the rich and famous mainly in the 1970s but started as a leading figure in the Swinging Sixties in London.
Ossie is now famous for his vintage designs, the contemporary fashion era being characterised by past influences and a retro feel.
Today, Ossie Clark vintage clothing is highly collectible where many of his dresses fetch hundreds of pounds and he is the celebrities choice when it comes to wearing vintage fashion.
Mary Quant
Mary Quant was one of the designers who took acclamation for the creation of the miniskirt and hot pants. Born to Welsh parents, Quant studied at Goldsmiths College before taking a job with a couture milliner. She is also famous for her outstanding work on pop art in fashion.
In the modern climate Mary Quant no longer designs clothes but her unique style is instantly recognisable by vintage enthusiasts throughout the world because of the unique “daisy” insignia that adourns her range of clothing.
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood is a fashion designer famous for introducing modern punk and new wave fashions into the high street during the 1970s.
She is associated with the Sex Pistols through Malcolm McLaren and their popular boutique on Kings Road, Chelsea during the 1970s which had a wide range of loud, erotic and punk fashion and of course some stunning platform shoes!
Now a political activists she still designs for a more mainstream audience and her brand is readily available via her chain of boutiques - but you can still see her unique style which is why vintage lovers’ crave for her originals.
Biba - Barbara Hulanicki
Biba was an inspirational and popular fashion boutique in the 1960s and 1970s.
Under founder Barbara Hulanicki the brand of Biba revolutionised consumer fashion by lowering prices so that trend followers could afford the latest cutting designs of the era.
In 1975 Biba went under but the Art Deco influenced fashion house was re-introduced in May, 2006 but it is the early pieces of vintage clothes that fetch hundreds of pounds at auction today.
Jean Varon (John Bates)
John Bates is perhaps the most under rated of all the important British fashion designers.
Working in the golden age of the “boutiques” in the 60s John Bates designed under another name - Jean Varon and under this label Bates contributed a wide range of youthful designs to the 60s and 70s fashion picture.
Bates is best known for designing black leather costumes for Diana Rigg in the role of Emma Peel in the British TV series The Avengers.