It’s incredible to see how some movies keep intact the spirit of a historical and cultural period. Years pass, the world changes, trends come and go, but they are there, perfect in their out-of-time condition, telling human stories and expressing distinct atmospheres. When I first watched This Is England by Shane Meadows (the film and the tv series), I immediately fell in love with it, but I felt there was more to know about its sources of reference. This weekend I had the chance to watch Quadrophenia (1979) by Franc Roddam, based on the 1973 album by the Who, and all the puzzle fell into place. The movie is set in England (London and Brighton) in 1964: the historical “frame” of the narration are the Mods vs Rockers riots which took place in Southern beaches that year, but the story focuses on Jimmy Cooper (Phil Daniels), an “angry young” Mod whose only reference is his circle of friends. A strong sense of belonging to the Mod culture is what shapes Jimmy’s life – the way he looks like, his style, the music he listens to, the scooter he drives (a beautiful customized Lambretta), even the drugs he takes. Fashion had a key function for the Mod culture [1] and this shows in the film. Lots has been written and said about the work of the wardrobe supervisor Joyce Stoneman and of Roger Burton and Jack English, two ex-Mods who provided most of the clothes, but here I’d like to focus on four key items which are still contemporary and stylish, at least in my book of style.
#1: M51 fishtail parka. This is quite an obvious choice, because this garment is the quintessence of the Mod culture. Originally a military garment (it was first used by the American army in 1951 during the Korean war), it was used by Mods to protect their Italian-style tailored suits while driving their scooters; parkas were cheap, practical and wind-proof, hence extremely popular. That “fishtail” in its name is a reference to the asymmetric hemline, longer in the back. Jimmy and his friends wear parkas on different outfits – elegant suits and casual looks alike.
Dallo Spazio 