Think of the Swinging Sixties and probably London will quickly pop into your mind. What city could have been more swinging? The clothes, the style, and the music from the years just before the emergence of the San Francisco hippies were all dictated from London. Two vivid images stand out in my mind. The first is the marriage of George Harrison to Patti Boyd circa 1966. The couple captured the essence of London chic better than any other I had ever seen…until I
came across a photograph of Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful. These two seemed to have it all, and I'd be will to wager some of the over the top cool stuff on their backs came from Carnaby Street. Carnaby Street is still a Mecca for the young, with hip stores that sell the latest sneakers, pressed flower plastic evening bags, surf gear and of course music. It's a pedestrian street as well, so you can ramble as you like and perhaps make some new friends.
South Moulton Street reminds me of the Eighties. It is a little the essence of Mayfair, one of London's toniest neighborhoods. Also a pedestrian street, this was once the haunt of Princess Diana, who broke royal style ground when she bought costume tiaras and necklaces from Butler and Wilson. Also on this street are Kurt Geiger Shoes, Brown's, Wolford, and a slew of other great clothes, accessories and beauty stores. Photographer Marie-Béatrice Seillant and I popped into the Zen Chinese Health-Care for some herbal remedies and stayed to enjoy the beautiful goldfish that swam behind us as we sipped our tea.
