Month: February 2017
ESSAY (MODs : The Subculture of Modernism)
MODS (The Subculture of modernism)
“Being a Mod is more of a sensibility than a style” (Martin Free Man).
As, I have chosen Mods subculture to further do my research on; I looked predominantly at the female fashion aspects of Mods subculture. It is quite fascinating to me, looking at the fashion history and how fashion and lifestyle evolved hugely in the 1960s when Mod subculture was originated or adopted by the younger generation.
“Mod is about taking pride in your appearance, where you live might be poor, but that doesn’t mean that when you hit the street you have to reflect that by looking like a slob” (Rob Bailey)
Apart from music, fashion is the integral element to the development of the movement. The younger generation wanted to have own identity in terms of fashion and lifestyle. They wanted change. Hence, the revolution took place.“Being elegant is no longer fashionable. Elegance is dead as a doornail, the word itself has already been forgotten. The independent woman is alive and kicking-slim and awake and industrious- able to be master of her own life, free in her job, in her attitudes, in her love. And above all: she is young” (Page 16 , Sixties fashion)
“The appellation “MOD” referred originally to a group of scooter-riding, clothes obsessed young men, but the term was soon used generically to denote many pockets of youth whose appearance broadcast their independence”
Mod style is about feeling modern through fashion and lifestyle. Idealism and optimism are the driving principles. Before Mods fashion according to the youth used to be boring because it was mainly couture and style that would suit the older generation of that period. Therefore the youth of that generation wanted change and change started within them. They started adopting a style where they would feel youthful.
A real Mod does not choose to be a Mod, they discover that they are a mod. It is not just a fashion statement; it is the way you feel and act and express yourself. Mod is in the soul (Amy)
How they dress up and carry themselves is very important and they would spend every penny to live up to the particular mod style. Style and appearance is very important for the mods. Back then, it was a way to escape and rebel against the older generation and family obligation.
“Clean living under difficult circumstances” (Pete Meaden , publicist and manager for The Who)
The Optical Art in Mods Fashion
The Optical art hugely inspired the fashion of 1960s. The Op art prints in garments were very popular trend with mods subculture. Youth took inspiration from the art to create style in their way of clothing. Not only limited to garments it was seen everywhere such as furniture, stationery, decorative and so on.
“The fashion, design and advertising industries fell in love with op art’s graphic patterns and mesmerising, decorative impact. Across all design disciplines op art was cool” (Page 38, 50s Fashion that changed the 60s)
Bridget Riley (Op Artist)
Photographed by Giorgio Casali
Mod subculture is artistic and eccentric. Textiles patterns were inspired by contemporary art. Geometric forms were the inspiration to create silhouette and fabric patterns such as clean graphic, stripes, and dots in bright colours.Contemporary Fashion designers has taken their inspiration from optical art movement from the 1960s and has used that in their design.
Louis Vitton Spring 2013 (The Mod Look /Op Art): The check prints and the structure of the garment along with the hairstyle and make up and the mid-heel shoes seems graphic and 1960s Mod Look inspired.
http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2013-ready-to-wear/louis-vuitton
Marc Jacobs Spring 2013 collection was inspired from 60’s fashion and the optical art. The design had many stripes, parallel lines, black and white and sequined patterns.”Jacobs distilled a radical moment of transition in style, between the suited young ladies of the early sixties and the free spirits of the later part of the decade” (Vogue, Tim Blanks)
Source: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2013-ready-to-wear/marc-jacobs/slideshow/collection#40
Thom Browne New York Spring/Summer 2017 collection had design with colourful and graphic prints, check board prints which i could refer to the 1960s Mod fashion.
Source: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/thom-browne/slideshow/collection#8
Mary Quant (ground breaking fashion designer of 1960s)
“Mary Quant wanted to create for people like her and for a life that was very real: women who had a job and a fantasy life that took that job into account”(Page 9, Radical Rags ).New Look was not relevant to the young generation because and also the fact that young people could not afford it.
The young should look like the young….The old could, if they wished, look like the young, but the young must not on any account look like old” (Mary Quant , page13, Radical Rags). Mary Quant designed practical designs that were suitable for youths where you could walk or do regular things with ease and look fashionable at the time
“As Mary Quant pointed out: ‘It’s the Mods…. who gave the dress trade the impetus to break though the fast-moving, breath-taking, up-rooting revolution in which we have played a part” (page25, Swinging Sixties)
Source: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/fashion/1960s-fashion-icons-designers-trends-34260
Valentino Fall 2014 collection was inspired from the 60s pop art and Mod style. “This show cycled through many of the ideas they’ve brought to the house, much of them with a mod sixties flavor this season: the shirt-collar dresses, the embroidered tulle gowns, and capes of all kinds—in lace, in leather, in drapey silk crepe, and in versatile double-face cashmere that could be pinned back to create an alternate look” (Vogue, Nicole Phelps)
Source: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2014-ready-to-wear/valentino
The Hairstyle
The mod hairstyle was one of straight hair that was styled neat and short, close to the head. It took a lot of effort and time to get the hairstyle perfect
The combination of the two most influential people of the 1960s gave women’s fashion new approach. Vidal Sassoon’s clean geometric style haircut went well with Mary Quant’s geometric prints, colourful and bright garments. It made women feel more confident and youthful than ever before. It was indeed practical and not time consuming for women to get ready. Mary Quant said, “I made the clothes, but he put the top on” (page 36)
“Sassoon created shapes that were so modern and so forward thinking that they still look ‘modern and so forward-thinking that they still look ‘modern’ nearly 50 years later”. (page 36 fifty fashion that changed the 60s). Sassoon found most of his inspiration from the work of Bauhaus architects.
I recently went to an exhibition that was held in Victoria and Albert museum that explored the era of 1960s. The exhibition also included “Sassoon Salon Sunday” with live haircutting.
Mod style icons of the 1960s
Lesley Lawson (Twiggy) is a mod icon and known as the face of the year 1966
Twiggy was considered to be the face of mod Her boyish look was one to emulate. Her vaguely androgynous look made her the face of every fashion teen magazine.
Eddie Campbell The 21st Century Mod
I think Eddie Campbell short hair makes her appearance androgynous and her style and her look reminds me of Twiggy from 1960s.
Source: https://fashionandstylepolice.com/2013/03/07/edie-campbell-covers-vogue-uk-april-2013-issue/
Edie Campbell by Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue UK January 2014
Source: http://stylepantry.com/2013/12/16/edie-campbell-for-vogue-uk-january-2014/
The Androgynous Look
Lanvin Spring/Summer 2017 Ready-To-Wear Collection
Source: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/lanvin/slideshow/collection#3
Miu Miu 2012 Fall Collection represent vibrant colours with geometrical prints and androgynous style.
Source: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2012-ready-to-wear/miu-miu/slideshow/collection#3
Moschino Spring 2013 collection
Source: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2013-ready-to-wear/moschino
Rossella Jardini designed Moschino Spring 2013 collection. The influence of Andre Courreges helmet from the 60s, shift dress, boxy jackets, miniskirts, cropped pants, colourful prints were the highlights of the show.
Audrey Hepburn in Andre Courreges
The Moschino 2013 Spring collection was inspired from the movie “Two for the Road”
Still from the movie “Two for the Road”
“Bold bright colours were a 60s leitmotif, capturing the decade’s optimistic freewheeling spirit” (Page 8 Fiftys fashion looks that changed 60s)
Andre courageous (Futuristic Designer)
He used materials such as metals, plastic, PVC. Accessories such as goggles, boots, helmets inspired by the equipment used by the astronauts
Andre Courageous design from 1960s and Moschino 2013 Spring Collection
Subculture 