‘The Clothes Show’ – photo by Gail Herbert

Clothes Show 1990 Beachy Head

Photo by Gail Herbert.

The Clothes Show (1986-2000) was a hugely popular fashion magazine show transmitted on Sunday afternoons.  It started as a spin off from fashion items on Pebble Mill at One and was the brainchild of Exec Producer, Roger Casstles.  The producers included Clare Stride, Jane Lomas and Colette Foster.  Directors on the show included Clive Wagner, Tim Langford, Alex Fraser, Paul Vanezis.

Regular presenters included Selina Scott, Jeff Banks, Caryn Franklin, Brenda Emmanus, Margherita Taylor and Tim Vincent.

The title music was part of the Arthur Baker remix of the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘In The Night’.

The show was so popular that a BBC magazine of the same name was launched, as well as the annual ‘Clothes Show Live’ event at the NEC, which is obviously still a fixture.

The television series became renowned for the fast pace of its editing, and creative use of digital video effects.  The post production team won a BAFTA for their video editing in 1989.

Tim Langford was the director of this particular insert.

Jane Green comments about working on The Clothes Show: “I FM’d on some of the first Clothes Shows with Selina and Geoff. We did the first ever Bride of the Year in Bradley, Staffs, with Lindka Cierach designing the dress, and Trevor Sorbie and Barbara Daly, hair n make-up. Years later I was a director – at the British Fashion Awards I met a new young model called Kate Moss, a crazy Vivien Westwood and Philip Treacy, and a grumpy Naomi Campbell. My 11 year old daughter finds it hard to believe mummy had such a cool job. It was hard slog but great fun. Roger was a genius.”

The Clothes Show 100th episode – Ivor William’s photos

The Clothes Show cake

Photos from Ivor Williams, no reproduction without permission.

This cake was made to celebrate the 100th episode of The Clothes Show.  Ivor Williams was one of the VT editors who worked on the popular Sunday afternoon fashion magazine show.  The spelling of IROV on the cake was an in-joke.  The ‘SM’ on the cake, I think stands for Steve May, also a VT editor.

The Clothes Show went out between 1986 and 2000.  It was executively produced at Pebble Mill by Roger Casstles. Series producers included Colette Foster and Jane Lomas. The show grew out of ‘Pebble Mill at One’ fashion items, and became a huge brand, leading to the BBC magazine of the same name and the annual ‘Clothes Show Live’ exhibition at the NEC.

Breakfast Time’s Selina Scott and designer Jeff Banks  were the series’ first presenters.  Other presenters over the years included Caryn Franklin, Tim Vincent, Brenda Emmanus, Richard Jobson, and Margherita Taylor.  The show included catwalk and high street fashion, including make-overs.  The title music was a remix by Arthur Baker of the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘In the Night’ (off the 1986 ‘Disco’ album).

What really set the show apart were the high production values and innovations in digital video editing.  The editing team were rewarded with a craft BAFTA award.