Foale and Tuffin

Foale and Tuffin by Iain Webb tells the captivating story of Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin, who were two determined women that took the fashion world by storm. After meeting at Walthamstow Art School in 1955 and studying together at the Royal College of Art, they embarked on a trailblazing career in fashion that lasted throughout the 1960s, ending their partnership in 1972.

Their quirky, youthful creativity, expert craftsmanship, and acute sensitivity to the latest moods and trends, combined with a touch of Swinging Sixties good fortune, positioned them at the heart of the cultural explosion in London that defined the era. Their boutique, located off Carnaby Street, was at the epicentre of the new fashion scene, featuring in David Bailey's photographs for Vogue and being worn by Cathy MacGowan on Ready, Steady, Go!. They travelled across America as part of the groundbreaking Youthquake tour.

Through detailed interviews with Foale and Tuffin themselves, along with exclusive access to their personal archives and contributions from figures in fashion, art, and culture of the 1960s, '70s, and beyond, Iain R. Webb builds a fascinating picture of the time. He sheds new light on how fashion and business underwent a period of unprecedented change, marked by cross-pollination in art, music, and fashion, characterised by entrepreneurial and cultural innovation. Contributors include Manolo Blahnik, Sir Terence Conran, Felicity Green, Barbara Hulanicki, Caterine Milinaire, Janet Street-Porter, Mary Quant, and Jean Shrimpton.

The compelling narrative of Foale and Tuffin traces the decade from its groovy, optimistic beginnings when the two innovative designers confidently set up shop in 1961, to its poignant end as Sixties optimism transitioned into the hangover of Seventies cynicism, hidden beneath a guise of fancy-dress escapism.

Author: Iain R. Webb is an eminent fashion journalist, whose work is published in newspapers and magazines internationally. He is also the author of Bill Gibb: Fashion and Fantasy (V&A Publishing, 2008).

Selling Points:

• A vibrant portrait of two key British fashion designers of the 1960s, the scene that surrounded them, and the part they played in creating it.
• In-depth interviews with Foale and Tuffin themselves, and contributions from major figures including Jean Shrimpton, Terence Conran, Barbara Hulanicki, and Manolo Blahnik.
• Stunning fashion images from David Bailey, Helmut Newton, and others, along with unique material from the Foale and Tuffin archive.

Illustrations: 100 b/w, 200 colour *