Discover Nica’s design inspiration: Time travel to the Sixties

My favourite ever retro fashion era? Definitely the Sixties!

The reason why I am especially fond of this era is because of its pioneering eclectic style, which portrays the iconic youth culture movement, the hippy revolution, and the unique concept of free love, yet still somehow manages to maintain an air of the Fifties' more conservative and constrained style.

Photo by Norman Parkinson, 1963 for LIFE magazine

Source: ShipShapeandBristolFashion

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

-  Coco Chanel -

Vogue Cover - June 1, 1966
 Source: Vogue Archive

Twiggy, 1967

Source: BohoCircus Typepad

The legendary Sixties was the brightest decade in the history of fashion, which was shaped by a variety of radical, forward thinking young Designers such as  Mary Quant, André Courrèges, Mila Schön, Pierre Gardin and Paco Rabbane.

Pierre Gardin’s Cosmos Collection, 1964 
Source: IHT

Metal woven dress by Paco Rabanne - June 1, 1966 
Source: Vogue Archive

Mary Quant’s dresses in 1966

Source: Tumblr

"Wherever the girls went there was silence. Elly was completely blue: blue make-up, blue clothes, blue cap and blue curls. Eva was all green, Del all violet. Some girls were all in black... in their full regalia looking as if they had just left a Fellini set".

- Barbara Hulanicki, 'From A to Biba'.

Biba boutique at Kensington, London in the 1960s

Source: The Pessimiss 

Youths constantly challenged the Status Quo during the Sixties and the concept of subcultural belonging was at its highest with fashion trends predominately bubbling up from the streets. The ‘Mods’ for instance, radically influenced not only fashion trends but also every other imaginable aspects of everyday life.

There were also numerous independent boutiques and designer shops, and each one was famed for its own innovative aesthetics such as Biba with its retro Art Nouveau influenced clothes.

60’s fashion scene in London
Source: YouTube

I've tried to channel the radical, playful and unique spirit of the Sixties in my next range of Nica handbags, so, they all have their own quirky twist. It's been one of my favourite sources of design inspiration. 

I hope you’ll love them as much as I do!

Love,

Nica Kim

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