Inspiration - Forty Years of Designer Fashion

Coat, cotton and polyurethane, André Courrèges, Paris, 1966

Waistcoat and mini skirt, wool and polyurethane, André Courrèges, Hyperbole label, about 1971-72

Synthetic leather boots, 2006

Accession number WAG1995.16.1, 2, 4

The French designer André Courrèges is sometimes referred to as ‘the father of the mini-skirt’ as he was one of the first to popularise the style during the early 1960s.

His clothes were often futuristic-looking, inspired by ideas about space travel, and he frequently used modern synthetic fabrics such as polyurethane, a form of plastic. This mini-skirt, waistcoat and coat with their clean, simple lines, geometric shapes and bold use of colour are typical of Courrèges’ approach to design.

This coat was included in one of Courrèges’ original couture lines in 1966. Due to their popularity, items from the same collection, such as this waistcoat and skirt, were re-issued in the early 1970s as part of his less expensive 'Hyperbole' range.

Purchased, 1995                                                  

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