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#1 2006-05-03 12:23:56
- Miles Away
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Parlez Vous Cool?
How poor is my French?
"Le Style J.F. Kennedy" was played with by Christophe Lembourg in the Nov '86 edition of French Elle. All the Ivy elements were there to be seen... (I'm a London boy, I know everything that goes on!).
This took me onwards and upwards and backwards to "Les Minets" - The French "Mods" of 1962 who hung out at "Le Drugstore" on the Champs-Elysees.
Jazz, Blues, proto-Soul and American import clothes. It all sounded very familiar to me...
I have a minor Minet archive over here and would love to add to it. Anybody remember these boys? The French American Trads? The "Renoma" cut?
They had more Anglo in their wardrobes than I would like, but I am still fascinated by this forgotten Transplanted American Trad style.
While I'm at it... "Pijo"! Modern Spanish American Trad... well... Preppy with Anglo influences. Anybody informed about what these boys are up to? I've met a few and, despite language problems, I can easily fit them into the whole internationalist Modernist framework. Again it's a little known style, but a valid one.
No need to thank me (!), but see how I save all this good stuff for you boys and not squander it over on AAAC? ;-)
I'll do you essays on Minet & Pijo, if they are of interest, in due course. For the moment I'm just looking for other fans...
Anybody out there?
"Miles"
Last edited by Miles Away (2006-05-04 09:34:48)
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#2 2006-05-03 13:53:28
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Seeing as I am giving up all my secrets on this forum, I'll post on the Minet style's influence on J.Simons and the Anglo-Ivy style, if there is interest.
Not that I crave attention, you understand, but this stuff has been my life's work...
I am the librarian of cool! ;-)
I know it's all niche... But it's all too beautiful for 'AAAC' or 'Modculture'...
1962 Minet is a real Modernist style. Look at the date! It is the same, albeit belated, bastard son of Ivy that London enjoyed. And what fucker Knows about it?
Minet I can actually start in 1961, for what it's worth.
Shan't tell you unless you beg, but I can also do American Trad in Portugal!
THEN I can take the style to South Africa!
In particular, I can give you the story of the sons of Portugal (who followed American Trad) in Uganda, until they were expelled, and landed up in London!
(Modernist) American Trad is huge.
Miles.
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#3 2006-05-03 14:03:05
- maximus
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
I don't mean to be rude but what the (white) buck are you talking about?
Somehow it seems like there is something enjoyable here, can you slow down and give some examples, please?
Last edited by maximus (2006-05-03 14:03:18)
I shall commission a suit:
So let it Bespoken
So let it be done!
#4 2006-05-03 14:22:25
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#5 2006-05-03 14:30:35
- Chris_H
- Ivy Original
- From: Watford
- Posts: 1669
Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Hello Miles,
Very interesting stuff, I know little about Les Minets, were they just in the Paris area or all over France? In the pictures I've seen of them, they seem to predate the London mod styles. I believe they influenced the mod scene in the early 1960s, maybe they visited London clubs like Le Discotheque in Wardour St. which was above the Flamingo a club used by modernists and mods. Can you enlighten us?
Chris H
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardyandjohnson/
#6 2006-05-03 14:35:59
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#7 2006-05-03 15:30:14
- Film Noir Buff
- Dandy Nightmare
- From: Devil's Island
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
I can hear Parker in here man, Im hep...
#8 2006-05-04 01:08:01
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
My big theme and the book I'll never write (for obvious reasons) is the stylistic influence of the American GIs all over Europe. At the moment I am working on the German late 50s very early 60's scene. Before the Beatles were there there was a Modern Jazz cult who's members wore American Ivy League clothing. It was very small, very niche and yet a part of this much bigger picture - American clothing and Jazz going hand-in-hand all over Europe.
Miles
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#9 2006-05-04 03:14:41
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#10 2006-05-04 08:01:38
- Daniele
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Very, very interesting, Miles!
Here are two pics of French Minets:
http://it.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/stilemod/photos/view/e0b0?b=30
http://it.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/stilemod/photos/view/e0b0?b=31
First was taken in 1963, the second is the French popstar Jacques Dutronc sporting an English suit and captoe oxford with a button down shirt.
It seems like the Renoma and Marina's cut ended up encompassing English, French and American influences and mix them together, with a 'twist' like pastel coloured corduroy or velvet sportscoats and flat-front, cuffed bellbottom trousers (called 'marinettes', kinda forerunners of the 70s flares)
Another branch of the great Modernist family...
Last edited by Daniele (2006-05-04 08:04:43)
#11 2006-05-04 08:48:45
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Nice pics!
Thanks Daniele.
Interestingly the tailoring was home-grown hybrid (Renoma & Marina) but the RTW was American & English imports. Didn't make for a very unified look!
Plus a lot of the American Items the Minets actually thought were English as they had seen them worn by Ivy style Modernists in London!
You are absolutely right Marina did indeed invent the flare without knowing it!
'Marinette' was another short lived name for this style in '63, named after the trousers, then everybody dropped the wide bottom trouser look because it had become too well known. The wrong people were doing the look so the stylists who led the fashion moved on. Very Modernist!
The bright colours really came in strongly in '65 along side the 'Kennedy' look. An odd mix...
Jean Reuben in Paris (We always call him Levi) is THE Minet historian and has that rare thing: photographs of the kids, the clothes, and the shops. He really should do a book. What would you call a french 'Face'? Un Visage? Well he's one of those.
And is Minet Modernist? Absolutely!
Miles
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#12 2006-05-05 08:52:16
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#13 2006-05-06 06:13:00
- Horace
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#14 2006-05-06 07:30:22
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Last edited by Miles Away (2006-05-07 01:27:08)
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#15 2006-05-06 15:52:37
- Incroyable
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Perhaps, it's what the French call le Jazz Cool.
Jukebox Babe
#16 2006-05-07 04:53:38
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#17 2006-05-07 05:32:41
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#18 2006-05-07 05:56:02
- Horace
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
Miles -- that's really interesting stuff. Thanks for posting. I've got some more on Jazz and Ivy Haberdashers coming up.
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#19 2006-05-07 06:28:12
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#20 2006-05-07 07:16:04
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
More from my 'archive' - ;-)
"When Joe College assumed vast numbers and social suasion in the 1950's, his persona gave way to a specifically "Ivy League" look, which stressed the button-down collar and narrow tie, often knit and flat-bottomed, worn with the narrow-lapel suit. Soon this style that began as an exaggeration on campus became an epidemic as men long graduated sought association with the young and educated."
From 'Jocks & Nerds': Richard Martin & Harold Koda, Rizzoli 1989.
Some nice pics in the book too... Certain of them are currently on J.Simon's website.
Miles
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.
#22 2006-05-09 02:17:20
- Chris_H
- Ivy Original
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardyandjohnson/
#24 2006-10-18 10:24:32
- Miles Away
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Re: Parlez Vous Cool?
A bump.
Not for me, but for the topic.
I'm doing this to make it easier to find for the Modculture guys.
Is all.
Miles.
" ... Ubi bene, ibi patria, which being roughly translated means, 'Wherever there's a handout, that's for me, man.' "
Alistair Cooke. 1968.