Vintage early 1970s late 1960s sensational Mark Stevens swing British racing/forest green wool black sheepskin fur collar cuffs midi coat Mod fit & flare
"Just like a car
You're pleasing to behold
I'll call you Jaguar if I may be so bold...."so went the T Rex song Jeepster....produced around the same time as this coat we think.
This coat will certainly put you in a class above admiring jeepsters....who will be mesmerized by its performance, just as well engineered as the British racing green E-type series 3 brought out in 1971, and the T Rex song Jeepster and this Mark Stevens coat, from about the same year. And in a British Racing green to dark emerald itself.
It is sensational, as those who are familiar with the Mark Stevens Made in England label will already know and expect. The label appears to have started mid 1960s and featured very classic fabrics especially in tweed and sheepskin, but soon became associated with Mods as their designs became increasingly stylish: it definitely wasn't your seven bob and sixpence.
By the late 1960s the label was almost a mirror for the kind of clobber Tara King (Linda Thorson) the ultimate style icon of the time was wearing in The Avengers. Mark Stevens also had style influences from Pierre Cardin especially geometric designs following the feminine form: the pockets and bust on this a classic example. So for that reason it could be late 1960s, but the 'swing' on the coat suggests slightly later. The swing coat came in big time around 1972-74 having been touted in fashion magazines 1971: but...most had smock backs. This doesn't. The engineering of the coat is quite incredible: the cut tapers in to high waist from the bust BEFORE it swings dramatically out. And enhanced by those geometric seams on pockets and over bust well my goodness this is so sexily fascinating.
So it's kind of a unique shape I've not really seen before and probably predated the smock swing coats. Of course blanket swing coats came in around 1975 but this has far more 'shape' than those and the sheepskin collar and cuffs suggest earlier. And WOW what sheepskin! so soft and long haired especially on the cuffs which are HUGE! So even more of a style feature exaggerating hand gesture (think of such cuffs as 'frames' for the pictures you make with your hands). Control the swing on the coat and master those gestures and you begin to appreciate the Art of female beguilement that can be expressed through garment structure that modern corporate clothing companies have completely forgotten. This drapes beautifully over the feminine form motionless, and flares dramatically out in movement.
"The wild winds blow
Upon your frozen cheeks
The way you flip your hip it always makes me weak..."Well Marc you certainly have the flip your hip bit right but there'll be no frozen cheeks either face or butt in this lovely warm coat!
Yes this is an unashamedly flirtatious coat yet at the same time modest. Yeah errrr go and watch Tara King in The Avengers if you don't know what I am talking about....but chances are if you are here you already do: maybe you are looking for a Penny Lane coat as you half get it already. This is next level stuff...
btw. Pierre Cardin who appears to have influenced the Mark Stevens label somewhat, was Wardrobe & Costume dept on this series of The Avengers.
Sizing please note the shoulders are just 16 inches: so while the size is a UK 10 to 12, the shoulders are small. So will fit an 8 or 10: this coat is designed to swing. So good if you are a 12 with small shoulders, or a 10. or I'd wear it and am only UK 6-8. So a taller (I am 5ft 5ins) 6-10 would def rock it.
36 inch busttapers to 34 inch waist before flaring out to free size hips.
It's priced accordingly to the rarity & special nature of the design...and quality...but don't let that put you off this is very special. Inexpensive compared to what such a coat would cost now new even basic without the design features.
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£475.00Price
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