Having Lloyd Johnson on my show last week was like an amazing walk back down sartorial memory lane. Lloyd was the man behind some of the best clothes stalls and shops of the 70′s and 80′s, a fabulous old mod from the south coast who set up stall in London in the early 70′s making dandified gear for the likes of Rod Stewart and Faces. He was the fellow behind that iconic white jacket with red leather trim and red strides Rod is sporting on the inside cover of Gasoline alley, one of the all time great assemblages.
Later his stall in Kensington Market was one of the places along with Acme Attractions on the Kings Road to get your pre-punk soul boy gear, pink pegs, winklepickers, bowling shirts, plastic sandals, back in 75, which is when I first went there as a suburban kid with a wedge. The fact that Lloyd remembered me hovering around his stall, dressed in a tweed suit aged 16, was such a buzz.
Afterwards his Kings Road shop, with the scooter parked outside, was part of the hub of wild boutiques, along with Vivienne Westwood, Boy, Anthony Price and Rockit which made Chelsea the place to be throughout the punk era. I lusted after one of his mod style soft leather, button through jackets, like the one Ferry wore, and just like the one he is wearing on the cover of the brochure for a new exhibition chronicling Lloyd’s life in threads. I still want one of those jackets now.
It’s called lloyd Johnson The Modern Outfitter, and fittingly is at The Chelsea Space 16 John Islip Street SW1. For anybody interested in the history of London’s once magnificent underground street fashion scene it is essential. We live in reduced times when it comes to street style, especially young guys who are now so dull by comparison.
It also leads me to ask whatever happened to that early 70′s dandy rocker look, all satin jackets, stack heels, french pleat trousers, Budgie jackets and tulip lapels? It is one of the few great male looks which has never had any kind of revival, and nothing like it has ever emerged again. I think I could still look pretty dandy in a tight fitting Mr Freedom tank top, a pair of channel seam, semi flared trousers and a stack heeled, side zip chelsea boot of the kind Lloyd Johnson sold all those years ago. A feather haircut is a fine thing too.
