David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton in We'll Take Manhattan
The Sixties are a standout decade in terms of fashion, women became more liberated and this was often done through showing more flesh.
We'll Take Manhattan, available now on DVD, brings to life the whirlwind romance between David Bailey (Aneurin Barnard) and Jean Shrimpton (Karen Gillan).
We caught up with the costume designer of the one-off drama, Ralph Wheeler-Holes about his experiences, what he loves about Sixties fashion and icons from the era.
What sort of process did you go through when you started to work on We'll Take Manhattan?
Much of the same that you do with any film really; I had an intial meeting with the director and the producer about the flavour of the piece and what they were trying to achieve visually. I've worked with John (McKay) the director before which helped. We talked about mood amongst other things and I went away and I did my research about late 50's, early 60's fashions.
What about when you meet the cast?
They have their input into what they're wearing too and how they feel in the costumes. I think it's important that they feel comfortable and are able to react how they are meant to with their look. I had plenty of chats with the characters about what they felt good in. For instance with Karen, it was often what she didn't feel comfortable in, and that worked quite well for the younger Shrimpton. It's good to help them play on their insecurities so that they can get that naiveity and akwardness across. It develops really, it's a long winding process that continues till it's on camera really.
Where did you look for inspiration for the costumes?
I was looking at video footage from 1958 of Shrimpton, there was things on Youtube and archived footage that the production has and then I research through costume houses, going through their archives. I basically limited it to that because the turnaround was so quick, so there wasn't an expansive time for research. It was limited to quick, instant looks at the shapes and silhouttes. Reading about the relationship between Bailey and Jean, I know it was a bit later, but Jean wearing the mini-skirt to Australia, it all kind of helped to create them.
Where about did you get the costumes from, vintage shops or were any of the made?
Certainly a lot of Karen's were made, all of the Vogue shoot's clothing were made, my assistant made several pieces. Ebay was quite a good one and then regular charity shops and places like Rokit and Beyond Retro. As I said, we had a very short prep time, I think we had two-and-a-half weeks, three weeks maximum, so it was all very condensed. Normally, if you're doing a film of this type you might have a little bit longer, so you could spread your net a bit wider.
Sixties fashion is such a huge iconic thing, what sort of things defined that era for you?
It's interesting because the piece, We'll Take Manhattan, was just on the cusp of the Sixities. So, if you're talking about defining the sixties then that sort of comes a bit later. For We'll Take Manhattan, the exciting thing for me and the angle that I think it took was the angle of Jean Shrimpton, David Bailey and Lady Clare Rendlesham and the dynamic of those three meant that Bailey would dress Jean in a way to antagonise Lady Clare, which then became something. Like the leather shift dress, it was something that hadn't been seen before.
As far as clothes go, it was about stating who you were as a person. It was the first time really that young people had an interest in fashion, up until that point you kind of went with the flow and wore what your mother's wore, pretty much a debutant style of clothing. The sixties kind of liberated all that and for the first time people could express themselves with what they wore. There is a freedom so many ways sexually across the board and the clothes were able to reflect that, the skirt became shorter to show more flesh, the hair became bigger; it was a much more sexually aware a much more liberated time that had ever been before.
Other than Jean and David who would you say are fashion icons from the Sixities?
Obviously you've got Twiggy, but then the influence of films as well so you've got Bardot coming along. In terms of women, they're the two really - Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy. But Bailey in his own way, as a guy, he changed how men were perceived.
Other than the Sixties, which is your favourite fashion era?
I think that every period has something going for it, there are very few periods that I don't particularly love, but for all sorts of different reasons. The seventies again was very liberating and then you had the rebellion which was punk which is very interesting historically. I quite like the early 1800s, they were very beautiful, very romantic. Twenties in Berlin were very decadent and very interesting. Every period has something that is of interest.
Who is your ultimate style icon?
In contemporary terms, it sounds such a cliche, but I'd say that Tom Ford has got it down to a tee. In terms of women, I don't think that you can beat Kate Moss.
How's it been working on Upstairs, Downstairs then?
It's been brilliant. It's interesting how many people are determined to compare it with Downton Abbey and it's actually a completely different piece. It's much more intimate and much less like a soap opera. I've just had a blast, the cast have been a joy, it's been hard work because of various issues with production side. Things have been fairly late coming through, it was worth waiting to get them. It was good to do on the back of Manhattan really, a completely different feel.
What other things have you got coming up then?
There are several things that are in the pipeline, I don't want to say until anything is confirmed. I suspect, or I'm hoping to be doing some commercials in the short term and in the long term there are a couple of film opportunities.
We’ll Take Manhattan is out on DVD now
Femalefirst Taryn Davies