In the mid-sixties Jimmy Connors founded the store "I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet." It was run by Robert Orbach and owned by Ian Fisk. The original store was at 293 Portobello Road in Notting Hill. Due to great popularity throughout 1966 and 1967 new stores opened on Kings Road and Carnaby Court.
It mainly sold uniforms(most military), movie costumes, vintage and pop-art clothing. Products were also available by mail order.
Jimmy Connor in the shop
I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet was a favourite store of Jimi Hendrix who purchased his well known braided military coat there. Other celebrity's that frequented the boutique were Eric Clapton, The Beatles and The Who. Peter Blake said that he got the idea for the The Beatles Sergeant Peppers album cover while walking past the shop.
The shops soon started to attract tourists. In reaction to this new novelty items such as post cards and ash trays became available.
8 comments:
YESSSSSSS a new post!
this one was actually really interesting, i know you thought i wasnt going to be into it but i was!
do you have a picture of jimi hendrix in that jacket?
SO COOL
great post!!!!
:]
yay! you posted!
and an awesome post at that!
that jacket is muy muy awesome.
do you know if it still exists at those adresses?
That is pretty cool. I love that I'm going to walk past these areas now and think of what you've said. And that Jimi Hendrix was there too? Added bonus I think.
PS. Thanks, I was starting to think that maybe it was a little big for a header but maybe not eh?
Hi again. "Lord Kitchener's Valet" is the best name for a store. Kitch was one of the most sucessful calypso artists of the 1950s- if you weren't already aware. Many calypso artists moved to London in the 40s-50s. The compliation "London is the Place For Me (Vol 1)" is a good place to start if you're interested in checking out Trinidadian Calypso music recorded in London. OK, I've geeked out enough. Thanks again for the informative posts, I really enjoy them.
Hi. Last night at a party I was wearing a shirt I bought from "I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet" c.1967 - and it still fits me - just!! It is sort of cerise with mauve and purple swirls on it and has the Union Jack label with the name on it. It got me thinking, so I googled and found this site. Also, nobody seems to mention where the name came from: I have always assumed it was in response to the hit song "I was Kaiser Bill's Batman".
This one is for Nicola, Re Lord Kitcheners Valet. I was there Nicola, in fact I worked for the company as manager for the Carnaby Street store. My brother Ray was in business with one of the owners,John, with secondhand furniture right next door to the first IWLKV shop on Portobello Road. The one you call the owners is not correct, it was in Fact John Poul, Ian Fisk was John´s Partner. Robert was manager at the first Piccadiily Circus store where I also worked as AM.
I together with John Poul and a girl from the store, Caroline were in a Pathe News film about London Fashion, Bonnie & Clyde / longhaired Afghan coats etc, also we were filmed outside Buck House, unfortuently that bit was never shown in the cinemas, after almost 40 years of wanting to see the film again I found it on the Pathe News web-site. If I had your e-mail address I could mail you the film. The guys name, who you mention as the owner I have never ever heard of, and was not part of the owner team.
Regards and hope to hear from you, ps Who are you since you know about IWLKV ???, ps. I was at the store on Portobello Road when the Beech Boys came in to buy some jackets.
Stephen
casavolante@yahoo.dk
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