70′s STYLE AND DESIGN

Pointer Sisters – RB/Redferns

Marueen Bampton – Courtesy of Maureen Bampton

David Inshaw’s The Badminton Game – © David Inshaw

Green visor – Courtesy of De Beers

Dominic Lutyens is a freelance writer, who covers art, architecture, design and fashion. He writes for Vogue, Elle Decoration, Financial Times, The Telegraph, The Observer, Grand Designs magazine and Design Week. He is the co-author and picture researcher with Kirsty Hislop of 70s Style & Design, published by Thames & Hudson. He is currently writing the text for a book on Celia Birtwell to be published in 2010.

Kirsty Hislop is a freelance writer and stylist who has worked for Elle UK and the Observer magazine. She is co-author and picture researcher with Dominic Lutyens of 70s Style & Design. She also designs for the award-winning card company Umpen Editions.

We asked  them a few questions about holidays, travel and 70′s style…

T&H: Why the 70s?
DL and KH: Because it was a tremendously diverse decade design-wise. Thanks to the influence of the pop movement, pluralism ruled, which led to postmodernism, punk, and the revisiting of every decade from the naughty nineties to the 1950s. Pluralism also ruled because formerly marginalised minorities – from gays and lesbians to feminists and black people – gained many more freedoms and in turn their tastes and cultures informed and shaped 70s style. The informality of the era also made fashion funkier and sassier than it had been in the comparatively formal 60s. Other major influence were the back-to-nature and eco movements, which inspired everything from hippie chic to radical architecture.

T&H: Great design is?
DL and KH: Something that looks great, works well and is as eco as possible.

T&H: Favourite hotel?
DL & KH: The Royal Hotel, Copenhagen, for mid-century marvelousness; or the Madonna Inn, California, for postmodern excess.

T&H: Favourite holiday destination?
KH: Nice, the South of France.
DL: Barcelona

T&H: Favourite holiday food?
KH and DL: Calamari; seafood paella.

T&H: Favourite holiday drink?
KH: Gin and tonic.
DL: Margarita.

T&H: Favourite holiday read?
KH: The Serial by Cyra McFadden.
DL: Redeeming Features by Nicky Haslam

T&H: You wouldnt hit the beach without your..?
KH: I wouldn’t hit the beach!
DL: Factor 15 suntan lotion and a really engrossing book.

T&H: How do you stay stylish on holiday?
KH and DL: Shades at all times.

T&H: Your favourite travel website?
KH: I’m a bit of a homebody, but if I were more adventurous it would be Blacktomato.
DL: The same site.