London In The Sixties ~ Alice Pollock & Ossie Clark

London in the sixties and seventies brought us some of the most incredible fashion pieces – outfits that matched the arts and culture of the time. Alice Pollock was a London fashion designer and retailer who opened a boutique called Quorum. She teamed up with fellow designer Ossie Clark and featured other up and coming designers. They brought together an eccentric and creative group of designers and flourished. Their fashion shows were known for visual extravagance and theatrics.

The boutique was opened in 1964 and went strong until the 1970’s. Celia Birtwell was part of the partnership as a textile and fashion designer, known for her bold styling and attention to detail. In the late sixties they adapted to another look when the designs became more subtle, and mini skirts were replaced with maxi skirts. Tragically, many years later in 1996, Ossie Clark was stabbed to death by a former lover.

The Alice Pollock blouse featured in this post is part of the Quiet West collection. It is made of a rich creamy sunglow coloured synthetic fabric with a deep crinkling throughout. The style and attention to detail is quite remarkable. It has covered buttons down the front and on both sleeves. The most distinguishing feature of this blouse is the collar.