I was watching TV (television not Big Tony) and there was a band on (British) that had a really rather nice Ska, reggae, beat-it`s a new band and new song -for the life of me I can`t remember the name of the band or song-but it was super stuff-2 singers one being mixed race-one white guy rapping like a Jamaican -synchronised dance movements-black suits -one with shirt and tie-one with white t-shirt-lots of brass in there-anybody got a clue with the  description given?

Good stuff Mr.J -I have not come across them before - but will now be sure to keep a look out for them in future-I like what they do.

Have you ever come across a band called the Bogus brothers-another band I like very much-I`ve been to quite a few of their giggs-they also played at a friends wedding and they certainly know how to put on a show.

First love -eh -you never forget them-and never entirely get over them-bitter sweet recollections.

Thankyou once again for providing the name and the subsequent link.

regards

CM

Oh - And did you get up to Richmond Hill (Hill Rise) in your time?

The central London shops - Squire x2, Village Gate x2 - Moved into the 'French Cut' etc, but The Ivy Shop stayed pretty much Ivy for a longer time as far as I can work out.
- Not so Ivy when I first saw it in '87, But I think the faith was kept up there for longer than elsewhere.

No?

Ta -

D.

To answer a few PMs in public -

The Ivy Shop was mainly English 'Trad' style by Christmas '87 - Jackets by 'Parkes' & stuff like that. Loads of Viyella shirts and Cords. It was what sold in the area.
A few BDs at the back by Geoffrey Scott right next to the Canterbury belts.
Bass & Sebago were there. Timberland too, which was on the up in those days. Grensons were also in evidence.
A Navy 'Barbour' style John Partridge jacket came & went as did a Duffel coat.
There were some heavy ribbed knits too. Can't recall the name.
Burlington socks were in there also.
Business was slow.


The two Squire shops (Brewer & Old Compton Streets) & the two Village Gate shops (Old Compton Street & Kings Road) were all 'French Cut' places by 1973. 'Village Gate' started in '71.
Squire on Brewer Street opened in Autumn of '68 after the success of The Ivy Shop, Richmond (opened '65). The Brewer Street Squire started all Ivy & then drifted into the new French Cut as demand for that style grew.

There is a POV that the Brewer Street Squire was always marketed as slightly less 'Hardcore' Ivy than The Ivy Shop even from the start - More knitwear & things the younger kids could buy to get The Look (Levis, Sta-Prests). Still kosher Ivy & expensive, but maybe a bit more accessible being central London, not Richmond Hill. Richmond remained purist Ivy HQ.
- And that POV is more than open to being questioned.

'73 is when JS splits from business partner JK and JS's focus returns to The Ivy Shop after creating all the other shops.
'73 to '87 I know nothing about life on Richmond Hill.
Post '87 there was a re-fit of The Ivy at some point with shoes being brought to the fore, Timberlands especially it would seem.
The Ivy closes Jan '95.

http://img396.imageshack.us/my.php?image=insidetheivyshoprichmonkn3.jpg

The guy up the ladder is John Lally - A very nice chap. I once bought him a kebab (...Well...Ian paid, but I was the one who went down the shop...)

J.

Last edited by Jack_The_Lad (2007-11-30 05:45:38)

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

I already feel more at home here.  Modculture (with very few exceptions) seem an odd bunch to me.  Very quick to point the finger.  Anyway that's not what I wanted to talk about.

It seemed to me back in 1970 that you had a choice as a smooth/suedehead.  You could either try to stick with the pure Ivy influenced style or go with the 'French cut' look that was (for me) becoming hard to resist.  It is very much like the situation of a few years earlier but almost in reverse.  The late 60's Mod could either become a hippy or a 'hard mod' but not stay the same.  Peer group pressure was very strong and it took a very confident person to stand alone - as ever!  We were first seduced into the new softer look on holiday in Clacton in 1970 (of all places) where a bunch of Chelsea supporters had raised the bar a few notches.  Those ITK recognised the unmistakable skinhead influences but the overall appearance was much much softer - a lacy shirt, slightly flared (too long?) trousers and loafers.  The hair was becoming longer too.

The Ivy Shop was my spiritual home from late 1969 to late 1970.  I got my first Royals there.  Black long-wing brogues. And my second pair - burgundy plains.  We called them cordovan.  I think we knew they were not actually cordovan but were rather in that traditional colour. 

By late 1970 we were more inclined to go to The Squire Shop as it was indeed more in keeping with our 'new style'.  I really cannot recall how and when the shops changed I'm afraid.

Like many others I drifted into the Designer period - from around 1975 when Armani first appeared over here.  I got back in touch with John Simons in the 80s and still make regular visits to his emporium.  Recent buys have included Bass Penny in burgundy, AE dark brown grain 'Kenwood', a selection of the £29 ties and so on.

Glad to be here.

John

Fantastic pics - The bottom one is just outside Walker's Court where John Rushton's 'Soho Shoes' used to be (Later he moved to Brewer Street & then on to the current Wimpole Street site)- I first heard about Aldens from him when I was working just round the corner in Soho in the 80's which is when I think this pic is from - They seem too sussed for the '79 revivalists. I'd say they were later 80's stylists. Wearing Macs & not Parkas makes them look post-Style Council -ish to me, not Jam fans. Could be wrong.

Cheers!

Chris H. has some fantastic pics - Mainly family stuff so not for the forums.
Especially good are his pics of the post-Ivy Squire shop's 'French Cut'.
London Modernists wearing clothes which would be considered waaay outside the cannon by most on Modculture.

As ever - The story is bigger than we know...

j.

...great thread! Though my contributions are probably allready done with the pics Jason posted...

...really interested in learnig about the real roots of the whole movement - and the only people that can tell are the ones who were there in the 6ts and early 7ts - and even they can only speak for their area.

I got the impression, that there were quite huge differences between London and the North.
The North seems to me a bit like 'us' in the mid 8ts - of course the first things you pic up are the very obvious ones - but as you grow into the style (and older) you develop a sense yourself. So I think there were, are and will allways be 'faces' that push the style - and this can look quite different. I think thats why I like the idea of 'Soulstylists'...

I would not label myself 'skinhead' anymore - but what I learned during those years is to love the look, an eye for detail and the appreciation of quality - no more marketstall crombies for me. Thank you. I'm 40. But a Soulstylist? Allways!

...as this is a styleforum maybe the wrong question, but I'd really like to know from brideshead, bomber, dolan... how important music was for the style obsessed kids? For me music was probably THE first attraction.

Soudtrack for this post: a few Northern and Modern Soul tracks...