Jean Shrimpton wasn't just a model; she was THE model in the early to mid 1960's Britain. She appeared in Vogue countless times and was paid the then-extravagant sum of $67 per hour. She was the muse of legendary London photog and John French protégé David Bailey, to whom she was engaged (they never married). In his book Birth Of The Cool, Bailey photographs many lovely 'birds of Britain' - Catherine Deneuve, Sue Murray, Penelope Tree - but the one model who appears constantly is Jean. I haven't even included all the pictures of her (will probably save them for a Jean part 2 post). With her lissome, doe-eyed beauty, she paved the way for future-comer Twiggy, and was nothing sort of a sensation and fashion pioneer. I typically write my paragraph at the end of a post, but in this case, I think I should let the photos speak for themselves.
Is that not one of the most enviable coats ever?
With Cecil Beaton:
All photos by David Bailey, scanned by me from his book Birth Of The Cool
