A CHEQUERED PAST : LIVES OF THE ARTISTS, LIVES OF THE FRIENDS

Key witness to the 60s and 70s, Peter Schlesinger captured his era like no other. Artists, lovers – great names or perfect strangers: his subjects dress up and down every tradition.

Lightness of the time, lightness of the dress. David Hockney revives the tradition of the Grand Tour in a corduroy overcoat and sky-blue scarf. English aristocrats dress down their Victorian coats with sequined trousers.

Bryan Ferry, W.H. Auden, Robert Mapplethorpe – Paris, London, Cannes. Writers are serious: Isherwood and Auden in beige tweed or sharkskin, ties or button-downs – one open button only.

Photographers abandon their shirts entirely. Eric Boman mixes white gingham, blue stripes and a red cotton jacket with wide lapels and a slight heel. Mapplethorpe thwarts his midnight blue smoking jacket with a denim shirt and jeans. Only Cecil Beaton retains his collar stays: stiff collar, stiff upper lip.

Soft-shouldered tweeds reveal a rugby shirt, high-waisted brown herringbone trousers, pumpkin or cherry-coloured jumpers, pink, black and white Prince of Wales, heeled brogues, strong stripes, fair-isles, “Lanvin”-blue shirts, patterned V-necks, seersucker thrown over t-shirts – the sudden black of dinner suits as night falls on Glyndebourne.

Andy Warhol and Rex Reed in Monte Carlo, 1974

Andy Warhol, Rex Reed. Monte Carlo. 1974.

Celia Birtwell, Ann Upton, David Hockney, Udo Kier, Glyndebourne, 1975

Celia Birtwell, Ann Upton, David Hockney, Udo Kier, Glyndebourne. 1975.

Christopher Isherwood, Santa Monica, 1968

Christopher Isherwood. Santa Monica. 1968.

David Hockney and Cecil Beaton, 1970

David Hockney, Cecil Beaton. 1970.

David Hockney, Paris, 1969

David Hockney. Paris. 1969.

Eric Boman and Paloma Picasso, 1971

Eric Boman, Paloma Picasso. 1971.

Eric Boman, St Tropez, 1978

Eric Boman. St Tropez. 1978.

George Lawson and Wayne Sleep, Wigmore Place, 1971

George Lawson, Wayne Sleep. Wigmore Place. 1971.

Hockney-drawing-Auden-London-1969

Hockney drawing Auden. London. 1969.

Mark-Lancaster-Brussels-1970

Mark Lancaster. Brussels. 1970.

Peter-Schlesinger-as-an-art-student-1968

Peter Schlesinger as an art student. 1968.

Robert Mapplethorpe, Boulevard St Germain, 1971

Robert Mapplethorpe. Boulevard St Germain. 1971.

  • COOPER X 12
    « Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper/Tryin’ hard to look like Gary Cooper/Super Duper – Puttin’ on the Ritz »
  • OUTER POCKETS
    « It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that sewn-on pockets, and pockets hidden within the lining, became standard in clothing… »
  • INNER POCKETS
    « They are designed to meet the needs and habits of the wearer, evolving over time to accommodate changing lifestyles. »
  • STRIPES: PIN, PENCIL, CHALK, AND ROPE
    « A variety of the ‘pinstripe’ often found in shirt cloth but rarely in suit cloth is the ‘pencil stripe’ »
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