In 1967 I worked for a small design consultancy called, Cato, Peters, O’Brien. They were based in Albermarle Street, in the heart of London’s Mayfair. My window over looked the Hille furniture show room. At the time it featured new pieces from the now legendary furniture designer, Robin Day. But that’s not my reason for telling this story. Just to the side of the Hille building was a company called NEMS Enterprise. Famous for four reasons: John, Paul, and George & Ringo. Often a large white Rolls Royce would purr into the street, directly opposite my window. Out would amble the fab four. I say all this because of this...
Shocking isn’t it? But as you can see from this photograph...
I hadn’t quite got the dress code right. The reason is simple. Some very slick Americans ran the company I worked for. They were kitted out from head to toe in Ivy League togs; penny loafers, Oxford button down shirts, tortoise shell, Clark Kent style, specs and had coffee and doughnuts for breakfast. They were straight out of ‘Mad Men’ and I wanted to be just like them – including the doughnuts bit. That is, until I spied Paul McCartney one morning, sporting the neat little moustache. Just a few weeks later they released this...
My world changed. I discarded my preppy look in favour of fitted floral shirts, hipster crushed velvet trousers and shoulder length hair. Far out - more of which another time. For the design connoisseurs among you, note the posters on my pin board. The one on the left was designed by Jan Pienkowski, Photographed by Melvin Grey to promote Ian Fleming’s new Bond book,’ You Only live Twice’. The other design by Derek Birdsall for Spicers Paper. Photograph by Robert Freeman (who also famously photographed five of the Beatles album covers)
Hi the great MD
Rosemary here again - still looking for some more photo's from those days. I remember you just like this.
I also remember running straight into Paul McCartney's arms the day they parked outside number 3. Happy days !!!! Ringo Starr in Rymans, they were always around -at the time we didn't realise quite what history we were living thru did we !!!!
Rosemary Wilmot (nee Miller)
Posted by: Rosemary Wilmot | April 11, 2011 at 09:19 AM