The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop Fashion
Encyclopedia
Published in May 2006 by Adelita
, The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop Fashion is Paul Gorman
's definitive account of the inter-connected developments of style and popular music from Elvis Presley to the present day.
With an introduction by Paul Smith
and foreword by Malcolm McLaren
, The Look was hailed as "the book", by Robert Elms
in The Times.
The Look was launched in Japan to coincide with the opening of Paul Smith’s flagship store, Space, in Tokyo in April 2006, and has an active online presence at www.rockpopfashion.com/blog.
The Look includes 300-plus illustrations (many rare or previously unseen), 120,000 words and a CD featuring such artists as Elvis Presley
, David Bowie and Boy George.
Among the contributors to the book are Jimmy Page
of Led Zeppelin, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones
, Ian McLagan of the Small Faces
, Boy George
, Glen Matlock
of the Sex Pistols, Kevin Rowland
of Dexy’s and Nancy Sinatra
as well as designers such as Malcolm McLaren
, Paul Smith, Hedi Slimane
, Lloyd Johnson, Alex Michon
, Mark Powell
, Pam Hogg
and Betsey Johnson
.
The Look has been accompanied by events including appearances at the Port Eliot LitFest, the V&A, London College of Fashion
and Central Saint Martins and also spawned a London club-night which has featured DJ sets and performances by Pam Hogg, Keanan Duffty
, Glen Matlock, Kevin Rowland, The Priscillas
and Poppy & the Jezebels
.
1. Mystery Train - Elvis Presley
2. Smooch - Miles Davis
3. I Dig Everything - David Bowie
4. Granny Takes A Trip - The Purple Gang
5. Deux – Malcolm McLaren
6. Spinning Away – John Cale
& Brian Eno
7. Song For A Boy In Deep Water – Boy George
8. Klacto Part Two – Blue Rondo a la Turk
9. Opel Eyes – Pam Hogg
10. Rag Doll - Kevin Rowland
11. First Day Of Spring – All About Eve Babitz
in collaboration with Soho boutique owner Max Karie. This comprises three collections from Wonder Workshop, Nigel Waymouth
and Antony Price
sold through Topman
.
Adelita (imprint)
Adelita is an independent United Kingdom book publishing imprint which specialises in design, fashion, music, photography, art and film.The publisher's founder and owner Jenny Ross named the company after the soldaderas who fought in the Mexican Revolution...
, The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop Fashion is Paul Gorman
Paul Gorman
Paul Gorman is an English writer.-Career:From 1978, Gorman worked on weekly news for trade publications. In 1983, Gorman won the Periodical Publishers Association award for campaigning journalism for a series of investigative food industry articles and in 1990 was appointed west coast bureau chief...
's definitive account of the inter-connected developments of style and popular music from Elvis Presley to the present day.
With an introduction by Paul Smith
Paul Smith (fashion designer)
Sir Paul Smith jr, RDI, is an English fashion designer, whose business and reputation is founded upon his menswear. He is both commercially successful and highly respected within the fashion industry....
and foreword by Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
, The Look was hailed as "the book", by Robert Elms
Robert Elms
Robert Elms is an English writer and broadcaster. Elms was a writer for The Face magazine in the 1980s, and has a self-confessed love of clothes and fashion...
in The Times.
The Look was launched in Japan to coincide with the opening of Paul Smith’s flagship store, Space, in Tokyo in April 2006, and has an active online presence at www.rockpopfashion.com/blog.
The Look includes 300-plus illustrations (many rare or previously unseen), 120,000 words and a CD featuring such artists as Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, David Bowie and Boy George.
Among the contributors to the book are Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
of Led Zeppelin, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Ian McLagan of the Small Faces
The Small Faces
The Small Faces were an English rock and roll band from East London, heavily influenced by American rhythm and blues. The group was founded in 1965 by members Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Jimmy Winston, although by 1966 Winston was replaced by Ian McLagan as the band's...
, Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock is an English bass guitarist most famous for being in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs and most of the lyrics, while lead singer Johnny Rotten made some adjustments...
of the Sex Pistols, Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and former frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".-Career:...
of Dexy’s and Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
as well as designers such as Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
, Paul Smith, Hedi Slimane
Hedi Slimane
Hedi Slimane is a French fashion designer of Tunisian, Italian-Brazilian origins. He studied political sciences , and Art History at the École du Louvre, and was also educated as a tailor...
, Lloyd Johnson, Alex Michon
Alex Michon
Alex Michon is a British artist, based in London, and runs the Transition Gallery in Hackney with Cathy Lomax.-Career:Alex Michon is a graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London. She exhibits her work, which is mostly painting and drawing. She also writes for Arty magazine...
, Mark Powell
Mark Powell
Mark Powell may refer to:* Mark Powell , British fashion designer* Mark Powell , American symphony and opera conductor* Mark Powell , American photographer* Mark Powell , Australian footballer...
, Pam Hogg
Pam Hogg
-Early career:Hogg had a meteoric rise to fame after her studies of Fine Art and Printed Textiles at the Glasgow School of Art, where she won the Newbury Medal of Distinction, the Frank Warner Memorial Medal, the Leverhulme Scholarship and the Royal Society of Arts Bursary, which subsequently took...
and Betsey Johnson
Betsey Johnson
Betsey Johnson is an American fashion designer best known for her feminine and whimsical designs. Many of her designs are considered "over the top" and embellished...
.
The Look has been accompanied by events including appearances at the Port Eliot LitFest, the V&A, London College of Fashion
London College of Fashion
London College of Fashion is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, short courses and business-training in fashion, make-up, beauty-therapy and lifestyle industries...
and Central Saint Martins and also spawned a London club-night which has featured DJ sets and performances by Pam Hogg, Keanan Duffty
Keanan Duffty
Keanan Duffty is an award winning British fashion designer and musician based in New York City. Duffty studied fashion design at 'Central St...
, Glen Matlock, Kevin Rowland, The Priscillas
The Priscillas
-Group history:Their two singles were played on Radio 1, BBC 6Music, Xfm, and WFMU. The girls have also played sessions for Marc Riley on BBC 6Music, have been interviewed on Phill Jupitus's 6Music's breakfast show twice, plus sessions for Resonance FM, and WFMU in New York...
and Poppy & the Jezebels
Poppy & the Jezebels
Poppy & the Jezebels is a pop band based in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Members are Mollie Kingsley , Amber Rose , Poppy Twist , and Dom Vine...
.
The Look CD
Available exclusively with The Look, the CD was compiled by Gorman from tracks which link directly to sections in the book.1. Mystery Train - Elvis Presley
2. Smooch - Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
3. I Dig Everything - David Bowie
4. Granny Takes A Trip - The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang, also known as the Sugar House Gang, were a mob with predominantly Jewish members of bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s, operating out of Detroit, Michigan, which was a major port for running alcohol products during Prohibition due to proximity to Canada.Many openly violent...
5. Deux – Malcolm McLaren
6. Spinning Away – John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
& Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
7. Song For A Boy In Deep Water – Boy George
8. Klacto Part Two – Blue Rondo a la Turk
Blue Rondo à la Turk
"Blue Rondo à la Turk" is a jazz standard composition by Dave Brubeck. It appeared on the album Time Out in 1959. It is written in 9/8 and swing 4/4.-History:Brubeck heard the unusual "1-2/1-2/1-2/1-2-3" rhythm performed by Turkish musicians on the street...
9. Opel Eyes – Pam Hogg
10. Rag Doll - Kevin Rowland
11. First Day Of Spring – All About Eve Babitz
The Look's fashion label
In 2008, Gorman launched The Look's fashion label The Look PresentsThe Look Presents
The Look Presents is a fashion label created by author Paul Gorman as a spin-off from his book The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop Fashion.The Look Presents was available through British retailer Topman with three collections in 2008-10: T-shirts by the 70s label Wonder Workshop and Nigel Waymouth,...
in collaboration with Soho boutique owner Max Karie. This comprises three collections from Wonder Workshop, Nigel Waymouth
Nigel Waymouth
Nigel Waymouth is a designer and artist, a co-partner in the boutique, Granny Takes a Trip, and one of the two-man team, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, which designed psychedelic posters in the 1960s. He has since had a solo career, including portrait painting.-Life and work:Nigel Waymouth was...
and Antony Price
Antony Price
Antony Price is a London fashion designer who is best known for glamorous evening wear and suits, and for the seventies icon of the cap sleeve t-shirt...
sold through Topman
Topman
TOPMAN is the stand-alone fashion business counterpart of Topshop that caters exclusively to men’s clothing. A part of the Arcadia Group, which also owns Burton, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Evans, British Home Stores and Dorothy Perkins, Topman has a chain of high-street men's clothing stores located...
.