When I started Spy Vibe in January 2009 to focus on the impact of the Cold War, Space Race, and Youth Movement on the Arts, little did I know I was catching a cultural wave. The V&A in London was running an exhibit at the same time called Cold War Modern Design 1945-1970. It was hailed as the first major exhibition to explore developments in modern art, design, architecture, and film in the context of the Cold War. The pieces included treasures like a Sputnik satellite and original Ken Adam drawings from Dr. Strangelove, Goldfinger, and The Ipcress File. It closed the same week Spy Vibe began, but I'm still finding cool artifacts that (almost) make up for missing the show. The brochure below featured the famous 1965 John French photo of "Space Hat" by Edward Mann. Spy Vibers can learn more by visiting the V&A Cold War page here and checking out the exhibition book by David Crowley and (my hero) Jane Pavitt on Amazon here. Related posts: Edward Mann Fashion, Mods to Moongirls, Cold War Photography, Cold War Comics, Cold War Spies, Fear and Fashion, Dressed For Space, Neil Armstrong, Out of This World, Atomic Art, Trina Robbins Interview, Space Camp UFO, Jason Wu Fashion, 1968 Exhibit, London Playboy Bunny Interview. Enjoy!
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, New Saint Publications, The Saint Complete box set, Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Brian Clemens RIP, Bond vs Modernism, Imitation Game, New Avengers Books, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, Popular Skullture, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Fashion Spotlight: Edward Mann. From the V&A Museum, "Edward Mann was a London based millinery brand which produced high fashion hats. The company label featured the phrase 'Edward Mann- Always making Fashion' and included a line drawing of a little face under a flat diamond shaped hat. Edward Mann designed the hats for iconic 1960s television character Emma Peel of The Avengers played by Diana Rigg." In the first image below, Edward Mann's Spring Collection included a vinyl helmet with perspex earphone, entitled "Sea Diver", and a racing cap with sun visor called "Seaspray". It's interesting that such natural titles would have been chosen for such Space-Age inspired creations. Then again, "Seaspray" is a much more welcoming name than "Harmful Radiation". In the second image, Mann's collection of Cops and Robbers-inspired outfits are presented by three models. As we've seen in examples like the Harry Palmer films, Get Smart, and others, the trench coat really hung on as a wider symbol for spies and private eyes. I don't tend to associate the fashion with robbers or gangsters, do you? The hats may harken back to crime movies, but those Mod sunglasses scream secret agent to me. If the designer's intention was to capture a 1930s gangster vibe, the outfits in the third image finally hit the target! One of my favorites is the Space Helmet by Mann, photographed by John French in 1965. Perhaps the most familiar design from Edward Mann was the pair of "Capsule Line felt Helmets with Dots and Moons" modeled by Pattie Boyd and Celia Hammond, also photographed by French in 1965 (sometimes credited to Cardin on-line). See more at Spy Vibe's posts Mods to Moon Girls and Pattie Boyd. Enjoy!
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, New Saint Publications, The Saint Complete box set, Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Bond LEGO, Deadlier Than the Male, Spectre Report, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Brian Clemens RIP, Bond vs Modernism, Imitation Game, New Avengers Books, Road to Hong Kong, Inside Gerry Anderson, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, SPECTRE Announced, Popular Skullture, New Gerry Anderson Sets, New SECRET AGENT set, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Modesty Monday, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, Home Movies, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, 007 Audio Books Return, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
ROMANIAN SPACE FASHION 1966
With new materials being developed for the Space Race, and a healthy dose of Cold War anxiety, mid-1960s fashion took on a fabulous, futuristic style. We looked at a number of designers and trends last year in articles like Mods to Moongirls and Swinging London (More on the Spy Vibe Fashion page). We also reviewed the book, Fear and Fashion, which sports a great cover photo of a model dressed in a PVC jacket and a helmet by Edward Mann and photographed by John French.
The book is filled with similar fashion from both western and eastern Europe. With a common stereotype of the "east" being drab and functional during the Cold War, it is illuminating to see that young people of the era embraced ideas and styles regardless of which side of the Iron Curtain they lived. The groovy model in that cover image may have been a hipster from London or Rome, but according to British Pathe, like-minded designs from Romania were captured in their news reel clip from 1966 (link image below). You'll see a mini army of models in PVC gear marching down steps, one in a similar Mann-style helmet, as well as a Rabbane-style mini dress made of joined metal- or is that Rabanne himself in the footage, working his magic pliers? Click the image to view this historic film clip at British Pathe and see Space Fashion come to life.A LOOK AT ROMANIAN FASHIONS
