Inspirational Illustrations: The eternal elegance of knitwear
Posted: November 10, 2012 Filed under: 1970s, Bellini, christopher mcdonnell, Harpers Bazaar, Illustrations, Inspirational Images, marrian mcdonnell, Mouchy, sally levison 3 CommentsIllustration by Mouchy
Wet Stuff
Posted: June 23, 2011 Filed under: alligator, che guevara, christopher mcdonnell, gordon king, Honey Magazine, monty coles, topshop, way in 6 CommentsIt’s a striking shoot. Rather modern-feeling (which just goes to prove that modern is rarely as modern as it seems…) and really affecting. Not emotionally, but physically. I can almost feel the models’ pain…
Peek Inside The Boutique: marrian-mcdonnell
Posted: September 25, 2010 Filed under: brian duffy, british boutique movement, christopher mcdonnell, marrian mcdonnell, seventies fashion, telegraph magazine 7 CommentsI love these sparse and splendid boutique insights you can occasionally glean from vintage magazines. A while ago, to my shame, I promised that I would scan the entire of this July 1970 Telegraph Magazine article on London boutiques. Slap my wrist and call me Kate Moss, I clean forgot. I intend to amend, starting with marrian-mcdonnell.
45 South Molton Street, W1 and 80 Sloane Avenue, SW3
The first Marrian-McDonnell boutique opened in Sloane Avenue in April 1966. Christopher McDonnell, who had been a fashion editor with Queen magazine, where he met Mary Ann Marrian, designed clothes that were casual but elegant. A whoesale range was produced soon afterwards to meet the demand from other stores, and now the partners export to the U.S. and Scandinavia, too.
In 1968 the second boutique opened in South Molton Street, and its success emphasises Christopher’s flair for giving a touch of glamour to classic fashion.

Outside the dressing rooms, jersey jumpsuit, 13½ gns, worn with zip-fronted snakeskin jacket, 45½ gns.
Hair by David at Michaeljohn. Photos by Duffy.
Designers and models
Posted: June 17, 2010 Filed under: amanda lear, bill gibb, christopher mcdonnell, jean muir, joanna lumley, john bates, mary quant, zandra rhodes 4 CommentsOne of my favourite Telegraph magazine spreads (May 25th, 1973) featuring some of my favourite designers (and, for a few, their partners) with their favourite models, wearing favourite pieces from that season.