Tag: 1940s

Categories / Books, Women's Fashion

Scarves by Nicky Albrechtsen and Fola Solanke

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Scarves
If you were interested in the Ascher pop up studio we featured earlier in the year, this new book on Scarves by Nicky Albrechtsen and Fola Solanke should provide plenty of fashionable inspiration. 

Published by Thames and Hudson, the book looks at 250 examples of women's scarves designed and produced over the course of the twentieth-century, especially when scarves reached the height of their popularity in the Forties and Sixties. The 304 page book contains pieces by huge fashion names ranging from Paul Poiret and Elsa Schiaparelli to Gucci, Zandra Rhodes and Hermes. Through its colourful photographs, the illustrates a slightly different take on fashion in the last century. 

The book is currently on sale for £19.75 from Amazon.

Categories / Food and Drink, Homeware

Cook’s Conversion Table tea towel by Utility

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Untitled
We introduced you to 1940s-inspired retro emporium Utility last year. This Cook's Conversion Table is a new addition to their charming tea towel collection.

As practical as it is stylish, the Cook's Conversion Table tea towel is invaluable to any cook braving the confusing world of weight & volume conversions. It's pretty nifty for drying your dishes too. Like all of their tea towels, it's handmade and printed in their Brighton studio on high quality cotton and is available in either plain white or striped.

The Cook's Conversion Table tea towel is £9.50 from Utility in store or by mail order. See the website for more details.

Categories / Design and Interiors, Toys and Games

Lilliput Robot collectible from Bodie and Fou

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Robot
We've had a design influenced by retro robots only recently, with Clifford Richards' clocks, but you can pick up a replica of one of the original toy robots from Bodie and Fou who are selling this Lilliput Robot collectible. 

The Lilliput robot first appeared in Japan in the 1940s and was thought to be the first mass produced robot toy. This replica of that first robot, produced by Fantastic & Co, includes a wind-up key that allows the robot to move forward with its arms swinging. 

Strictly a piece for adults, rather than kids, the robot costs £9.95

Buy it online

Categories / Art and Photography, Design and Interiors, Women's Fashion

Ascher Studio pop-up display in London

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Moore ascherLondon's Brompton Road is having a series of interesting pop-up events at the moment. As well as the Skandium sale shop earlier this month, it's now hosting the Ascher Studio pop-up display. 

Zika Ascher is well known for his role in the fabric industry in the twentieth century, providing fabric for everyone from Dior to Mary Quant. He's especially celebrated for the 'Artists Squares' series, when from the mid-Forties to the mid-Fifties he invited 51 artists such as Henry Moore, Picasso and Barbara Hepworth to design scarves – with the aim that contemporary art would in turn inspire innovative textile design. 

Read more

Categories / Art and Photography

An Embrace of Roses by Woop Studios

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Embrace

For an alternative Valentine's Day print, take a look at this An Embrace of Rose print by Woop Studio. 

Although this print obviously has a romantic feel, Woop Studio specialize in producing prints based around collection nouns, so take a look at their other designs based around things such as a Parliament of Owls or a Stand of Flamingos. All the prints are executed in the same retro style, reminiscent of the work of someone like Abram Games in the 1940s and 1950s. 

Prices start at £69 for a small unframed print.

See them online

Categories / Women's Fashion

Utility Dress by Tara Starlet

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Utility

Utility Clothing was introduced towards the end of 1941 by the British government to cope with the short supply of fabric. The Incorporated Society of Fashion Designers, lead by the likes of Norman Hartnell, Digby Morton and Hardy Amies, created over 30 different utility clothing designs that became hugely popular and are still greatly evocative of the period today.

Darlings of the vintage reproduction scene Tara Starlet have paid their tribute to 1940s wartime fashion with their version of the classic Utility Dress. The pin spot dress, accented with white buttons and piping, is available in 5 colours. Pitch perfect 40s chic for attending all those vintage events over the spring and summer months.

The Utility Dress is £75 from the Tara Starlet website.