A Quiz: London's Next Top Model (1964)

The post-World War II era brought unprecedented economic growth to the United Kingdom's World War II ally, the United States of America, and also to its foes, Germany and Japan. In the United Kingdom, however, war rationing continued until 1954. And, even after, times were difficult. England was mired in a downward spiral of economic and cultural decline when, in the early 1960s, the process dramatically reversed itself. London suddenly became the epicenter of hipsterdom and the capital of cool. For a time, its fashion scene was more relevant than that of Paris—an unprecedented event. It was as if the flow of the Mississippi River suddenly reversed course. [See Birds of Britain or Goodbye Baby & Amen, A Saraband for the Sixties.]

Lucie Clayton's "The World of Modelling"

London's Top Models, Circa 1964; Photograph by John French

​Many of the great Sixties-era fashion models were based in London. David Wynne-Morgan assembled the top 1964 London models for this iconic John French photo (above), which was reproduced in Lucie Clayton's The World of Modelling, How to Get the London Model-Girl Look. Jean Shrimpton is at the center, kneeling. And, to the right, also kneeling, is Celia Hammond. However, the most famous women in the photo is the model is sitting in the far right corner. Who is she? 

HINT: In this person's 2012 memoir, she wrote, “I care whether anyone—from the mailman to the dry cleaner—likes me. Maybe that is my weakness. But [it is] not Anna’s.”
 
​The answer is after the JUMP.

Grace Coddington, Vogue's longtime Creative Director, got her start in fashion as model. Read how she went from a well-respected model to superstar fashion director in Grace: A Memoir. Her memoir personalizes the myths of the Swinging London scene of the 1960s but does nothing to debunk them. It is an excellent book, a must-read (or perhaps listen, Coddington narrates the audiobook version). Also, check out The September Issue, the documentary that made Coddington a fashion superstar.