Emma Peel – super spy! Played by Diana Rigg, she was the shining star of the 1960’s adventure series, The Avengers (definitely not related to the Marvel franchise). Emma Peel is amazing for a number of reasons, of course, one of the most important being her sense of style. But put simply, Emma Peel is the ultimate ’60s style icon.
Let’s take a look back at her bold outfits. Many of them feel timeless because of the recent resurgence of ’60s style in fashion right now. For instance, Paco Rabanne has recently been revived courtesy of creative director Julien Dossena who joined the label in 2014. Now, Paco Rabanne is one of the most coveted labels around for its combination of key ’60s influenced styles and modern, easy-to-wear pieces. Decadent chainmail meshes with staples like t-shirts and bodycon turtlenecks – just like something a modern Emma Peel might wear.
Courrèges is another label formed in the 1960s that is making a major comeback right now. Since 2018, Yolanda Zobel has been at the helm of the brand, showing unique collections full of patent leather zippered jackets in neon colors, slick wet-look leathers, and all shapes reminiscent of those present in the ’60s. It’s impossible to look through recent street style photos and not see someone wearing a Courrèges jacket or sweater, proudly branded with the same logo the founder André Courrèges created in the ’60s. According to The New York Times, Peel’s wardrobe “not only included zippered leather, but Courreges couture.”
Beyond that, there are other recent cultural moments that naturally make Emma Peel feel like the modern style icon she is, nearly six decades after her starring role. Infamous ’60s brand Rudi Gernreich relaunched for SS19 Paris Fashion Week and Mulbery, Etro, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Gareth Pugh and PH5 all took inspiration from the radical ’60s in one way or another in spring 2019 collections. It’s clear why this decade is becoming a defining motif in fashion culture right now, and for good reason – the politics of the ’60s in some ways lines up with a lot of what people are feeling in the states right now. The Brooklyn Museum also recently hosted an exhibition on Pierre Cardin, another swinging ’60s icon.
Peel’s op-art based clothing was constructed of lines, circles, and psychedelic patterns – never worn before on television, because of the belief that they would not look proper on television. The eclectic perception of Emma Peel was heightened by the fact that she drove a Lotus Elan convertible at high speeds. It was quintessential mod and completely groundbreaking in more ways than one.
As Emma Peel, the girl eschewed the “damsel in distress” portrayal of women. And likewise, the clothing was just as mesmerizing.
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