Pygmalia

A couple of clothes shops I remember were PYGMALIA and JOHN MICHAELS. I remember we bought some of our stage gear at Pygmalia. I think it was partly owned by Eric Stewart of 10cc. (I thought it was Tony Mansfield but perhaps that was later - Paul).

The shop was situated up an ally way just opposite St Ann’s Arcade, it’s still there but looking a little desolate now.

John Michaels was in St Ann’s Arcade and was definitely up market. Rather than the normal tat we used to buy this place sold top of the range and style. I had a mate that worked there for a time and the effect of all that quality clobber must have rubbed off on him because he started his own business making bespoke shirts. Check out frankrostron.com internaItonal shirt maker.

How many mods got togged out at Barnett for Men?

Danny Hardman

I went to the opening of Pygmalia on 6 November 1965. I'm not sure that Eric Stewart, then a Mindbender, was involved - he wasn't there that day - but I believe three of the Hollies were - Graham Nash, Allan Clarke and Tony Hicks. Others I saw that day were Long John Baldry, Mike Wilshaw and Lionel Morton from the Four Pennies, Ric Rothwell of the Mindbenders, 'Ugli' Ray Teret and Cathy McGowan, presenter of Ready Steady Go. 

Liz Williams
2/8/09

I worked at Pygmalia Boutique 1968/1969, Tony Bookbinder stage name Tony Mansfield own'd Pygmalia along with his wife Brenda, Tonys sister is Elki Brooks, The manager at this time was called Keith Plant.

It was a realy groovy time then with great stars just popping in, I used to have my hair cut at Harvey and Ruperts (I'm bald as a coot now) and the clubs were fantastic.

Ray Collier
15/5/10

Baines
Rusholme

To me, the real clothes shops for "yer urban mod" were the local stores that tried their best to match the fashions - while really only being interested in workwear and school uniforms.

Moss Side/Rusholme guys went to Baines on Claremont Road - probably started there by getting school pants and a cap, then progressed to fashion and then workwear, all from same shop.

I remember buying hipster pants, cord jackets, a Dave Clark Five shirt, cravats and a matelot t-shirt from there (thats the ones that were bold blue and white horizontal stripes).

Oh and the reefer jacket I cherished so much came from there as well.  It had thick buttons on with anchors.

My coolest outfit, possibly 65/66 was a brown cord jacket, brown cord trousers, a cravat and cotton check (as in cowboy/lumberjack) shirt.  Geez I was cool and all from Baines.

I think I got my pac-a-mac from there.  Now, they were cool.

I remember going back to Manchester many years later and the shop had swapped sides but it was still Baines.  Fond memories - great shop.  I am sure no one will remember the atmosphere of shopping at Matelan.

Or the HUGE (well it seemed huge to me) jeans store on Princess Road, next to the Wycliffe Cinema and near the Nile. Got my Wranglers there about 1966 for three pounds twelve and six. Good place for Ben Sherman shirts as well. Opposite the Sports Depot, my fav shop for years as a kid. Now  thats a whole new set of memories.

And what was the shop on the corner of Stockport Road and Kirkmanshulme Lane - was it Artizan (thanks Steve)? Great shop - great gear - lots of hipsters and striped tops.

In town, and around 1969, I used to go to the second hand clothes shop near the George Best hairdressers - The Village Shop? It was down some stairs and quite small. Second hand crushed velvet trousers with rips in the bum, and a fur coat. I looked so cool.

Kurtis Menswear was the first young man's gents outfitters to bring youth fashion to Manchester. Situated on Fountain Street and High Street they sold Hipsters, Wranglers, Levi, slacks and jeans. They also sold pin through and round collar shirts. I could go on and on having completed almost 20 years with the company.

Jimmy Savile brought gifts from America that he had received from Elvis Presley which we displayed in our windows.

George Best purchased his first leather jacket from me which started his interest in modern mens fashion. He went on to be a fashion icon himself!

Did you send the above article or other Kurtis stuff?  Sorry, lost the other info - apologies, can you please resend?

The Toggery
Mersey Square, Stockport
Branches in Bury and Bolton

For lots more info, including an interview with Mike Cohen, click here

Owned by Mike Cohen, who I think was the Hollies first manager. He also managed the 'Toggery Five' who featured Paul Young.

Joe Moss

Yes! The Toggery! Sky blue AND pink, button-down or gingham collar - tab collar shirts. They had em' all!

Beatle Boots, by Annello and Davide , from London. Winklepickers galore - got mine from there and stashed them in the garden shed. My Mum did not allow me to wear pointed toe shoes 'said they were 'common'! So when I went out at night, I'd change into them in the shed , and back into my regular shoes via the shed when I came home! This went on for years!

The Toggery had leather waistcoats in all colours , leather jackets. Lots of leather, amazing trousers, suits , you name it . VERY well stocked shop - just like Carnaby Street, without actually spending the money on train fare to go down to London to get the 'gear'.

A great place to spot Wayne Fontana , or Graham Nash or Allan Clarke on any given day.

Dave Bowker

I worked at the Toggery in Bury and Bolton in 1964 till 66. I often wondered what happened to some of the other guys who worked there  - Les Machin and Laurie Jaycot, both great guys.

I remember Michael Cohen. I will be intrested to see if anyone remembers me?

Mike Looker
19/1/09

Hi Guy's & Girl's
I've just read your Clothes Shop page and thought I'd let you know that when Michael Choen had The Toggery my mate Linsey use to work they.

I've jsut posted a comment on The Toggery Five's You Tube Song " I'd Rather Be Out With The Boy'" about that big window on the front of the shop. It must have been 30 to 40 feet high ! One big sheet of glass ! I had never seen such a large sheet of glass that big ! Do you rembemer it ? It made the shop stand out!

The Goood Old Days ! I met Elkie (Elaine Bookbilder) Brooks in them days. I had a great but all to brief time with Elaine. Such is life.

Peace & Luv

Terry TelQuiero Robson
13/4/11  

Saw the newspaper cutting for Crowthers and it brought back memories. I was a mod of course and bought many clothes in Crowthers. It was a great shop selling stylish clothes in muted colours like crushed raspberry and petrol blue.

My favourite outfit was a purple tunic top which went over wide black crepe trousers. It seemed like a Manchester Biba and was a real change from the tat at chelsea Girl or inventing our own outfits - we went to Sale Locarno once dressed in our school gym outfits - short pleated navy skirt, white aertex blouse, white tennis pumps and........red braces!

Laraine Birtles

I went to work for John Crowther (Crowthers South King St).  I was production Manager and worked with John and his then wife Chris for two years. I remember standing outside the shop one day with John and this bloody great Rolls Royce pulled up. The window slid down and the owner of Biba and Consortium (can't remember his name) stuck his head out and said "I've been hearing big things about you John Crowther but there's plenty of room in this Country for the two of us"

John wasn't a flash guy and when I persuaded him to buy an E-Type he let me use it in case people thought he was flashing his cash around. I left John and set up my own label called "Something Good" anyone remember it? 

I believe he divorced Chris and he was going out with Nicholas Monseratte's (author of the "Cruel Sea") daughter. Sadly John died very young, during a routine dental operation. 

John Ackerley
22/10/11

Ad from Grass Eye, Nov 1969

"Originally in New Brown Street, the shop was founded with Mike Slaughter and Jenny, two of the nicest souls it was ever my pleasure to know.

Underneath the shop was a coffee bar called The Wishing Well which only a couple of years earlier never seemed to close and was therefore much visited in the small hours of Sunday morning by revellers from The Cavern all nighters in desperate search for something resembling a decent brew before plunging back into the dark , sweaty, loud cellar that gave us all a chance to enjoy a real change society as well as having a damn good time. "

Anon

"For my 21st birthday, my then boyfriend bought me a full length burgundy velvet cloak from On the Eight Day when it was on New Brown St. I used to buy embroidered indian voile from Oldham market and make smocks and long skirts and sell them sale or return in the shop. It was the best shop for hippy clothing, jewellery, bags, paraphernalia, etc. and probably the first in Manchester (that I remember).

They moved to Oxford Rd. and after a while, they fazed out the clothes and eventually turned it into the cafe/restaurant."

Sue Platt

On the Eighth Day - I remember their first day, on New Brown Street: saggy settee by the counter upstairs, the hand-made acoustic guitars: beautiful craft work.

I knew that the hippie dream was all over in the early 70s: people from the 8th D on Oxford Road hired a coach to go see Stomu Yamasht'a and the Red Buddha Theatre in Liverpool.

It was a last minute thing, so I jumped on board. Year before it'd be no problem being on your own, you made friends easy. That night, there and back, no one spoke to me; they even took their own food: bread with swirls of colour through it, and stuck to their little clique, shared nothing. It wasn't just them though, it was everywhere, people closed in on themselves, shut off what had once been an open and generous lifestyle. Drugs and their toll took over, people became more involved in own worlds, own experiences. It was all finished.

Michael Murray
15/11/11

For me the centre of the clothes buying scene in Middleton was Bendson's boys and mens wear.

My brother Llew worked there, later to open his own shop a few doors down. Studd Menswear is still there today.

Go in and have a look at the picture collection on the walls - George Best, Mike Summerbee, Dennis Law, Colin Bell, are just a few of the names from footy history to regulary make the journey to the shop.

Peter Reid, Ron Atkinson and Howard Kendall also paid their respects and became regular clients.

Phil Wood, Pete Cowap, Pete Maclaine, Dave Barrow, Sad Cafe, Graham Nash and of course the Measles, Mickey Dolenz (Mr Samantha Juste) also made there way to the shop.

For a small shop it has a great history and one day maybe someone will take the trouble to write the story of Studd's place in dressing the stars of the 60s and 70s. Not forgeting the stars of today who still call in to say hello.

Glyn Griffiths

Studs was the best shop ever. I had an account with them in the 70s.  I had never seen such top class fashion.

I remember buying a leather coat from Stud and the only other person I saw in one was Lewis Collins of the Professionals.

I rember Bensons shirt shop  - it was on Old Hall Street, painted white. I remember Man City  getting kitted out with suits.

Anyway, I have some great memories of Stud   - I was in there every pay day that was once a week in the 70s.

Alan Crompton 

I worked at Bensons for some time from late sixty-five. At the time I started at Bensons the guy who managed the Peter Pell tailors shop in Middleton,  was none other than the late Barry Norton who left to open a shop  in Chorlton cum Hardy whom which I also ended up working with. " Norton Barrie menswear",  which along with "Studd menswear",  became synonymous with dressing the North west footballers and bands  of the time and continue still to this day . Bensons had four shops selling boys and menswear I worked between Bury and Middleton.  In Bury I worked with Frank Rostron  who left and went on to John Michael in St Annes arcade and then on to become a well known shirt maker in Manchester. Llew Griffiths worked in Middleton and later became manager of the branch and to all intents and purposes was the guy who got me into the mod scene and fashion. The shop buzzed with just about everybody from Langley the Limit and the Middleton Music scene. I left in 68 to go into window display and trained with Alexandre the Tailors until 71 when I went freelance and then started to work with Llew and his then partner Jack in there new venture Studd Menswear - great times.     Graham Fairhurst 20/7/11

Shops on Oldham Street

We were asked about the clothers shops on Oldham Street.  I bought my Madras check trousers, pacamac, white denim jacket, etc, from C and A.  Not very cool, I admit.  But what were the other shops?

Paul (webmaster)

Guys and Dolls

The large shop was Guys and Dolls and the 'blokey shop' wasI believe The Westerner, selling ... yes you guessed it cowboy boots, shirts, jeans, etc.

Mo Wright
6/6/09

With regards to Guys and Dolls, I worked there in 1971'ish and later - 1972-1975'ish at the Westerner in Barton Arcade, Manchester - would be nice to hear from any other staff/friends from that era - Barry Shaw, Martin Carling, Dave and Mike(from the Westerner)to name a few. I may have some pictures of The Westerner which I will try and post. Also Roy James Dean who woarked at, I believe, Pygmalia in about 1972 - he also played guitar but can't remember bands name Regards

Phil Nadin
17/11/10

Didn't they have a live DJ on in there on Saturday afternoons?

Salford Lad
6/6/11

I worked at G+Ds around 1971. I had an absolute ball and I rubbed shoulders with some of the most beautiful people in the world.

I remember Ged Sundquist (who went on to be a fine actor), Janet Fearns, Ian (The Westerner)  "Bridie" The Manager and yes the great Al Dean ? who entertained us every Saturday.     

Noel Ahern
28/11/11

Tiny but bang up to date.  Run by lovely young couple.  The first week it opened I bought a black crepe double breasted, wide lapelled coat/dres,  a black stetson with white band and a grey/black feather boa.  I was paraded around Oldham Market to show off the outfit.  I was a very petite 15 at the time and starting my first job, felt dead glam.

Tragically, the young male owner died during a routine dental op.  I think his wife's name was Chris.

Ann Faris
14/9/09

BACKTRACK BOUTIQUE

Anyone remember Backtrack Boutique on Yarburgh Street,Moss Side,Late 60s/early70s ? There was a hanging sign outside with a huge headshot of Jimi Hendrix,My only purchase was a 'Free Angela Davis' T-shirt.

My one regret ? I never managed to salvage that sign when the shop was vacated.

Phil Roberts
1/11/09

Jeffries
New Brown Street

I used Jeffries on New Brown Street, then moved on to use Ivors on Butter lane just off Deansgate.

Pete Cahill
19/5/11

Ivor's
Butter Lane plus other locations