John Simons - The Book

Sammy Ambrose

Sammy Ambrose

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,508
On Talk Ivy, AFS wrote:


'...In England (as elsewhere in the UK and Europe), we would not, as TRS once reminded us, be having these oddball online conversations if it wasn't for The Guv'Nor. Agreed?
I would very much like to see a book.'

By the 'Guv'Nor' AFS is referring to John Simons.

In the following post TRS mentions a film about Simons and says:


'There has to be more beyond that bloody film. His story needs to be de-Wellerised, de-modified, de-geezerised. It needs an intense sterilisation, a deep clean, to emerge fresh, alert, sweet-smelling and stimulating. A splash of cologne after a good shave.'

What about DW Ivy Club posters. Would you read a book written by or about John Simons? I think I would.
 
I would have thought at the very least there would be an article about John Simons in Wikipedia. He is afterall supposed to have been the one who named the Harrington jacket after he noticed the preppie Peyton Place character always wearing one. Talking of which, here is a site which delves into that type of jacket. John Simons gets a mention.

www.primermagazine.com

The Harrington Jacket: Best Picks, How to Wear It & History

A series of retrospectives on the most storied and timeless styles in men's fashion. Today: The classic cool of the Harrington Jacket.
www.primermagazine.com www.primermagazine.com
 
Last edited:
There have been mixed views about the JS film, especially from people that could have been involved in making it but weren’. Personally I thought it was pretty good, but a film about a guy who ran clothes shops was never going to keep you on the edge of your seat.
 
Barking Pugilist said:
There have been mixed views about the JS film, especially from people that could have been involved in making it but weren’. Personally I thought it was pretty good, but a film about a guy who ran clothes shops was never going to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Click to expand...
Setting the film aside, do you think there would be sufficient reason to write a book about John Simons? As I point out above, nobody has even bothered to give him a Wikipedia article.
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
Setting the film aside, do you think there would be sufficient reason to write a book about John Simons? As I point out above, nobody has even bothered to give him a Wikipedia article.
Click to expand...
I’m sure it would sell a few hundred copies or maybe even a few thousand. There’s material there for a book and I guess it could be padded out with commentary about the societal and fashion trends that were extant during his career. His cooperation would be required, he‘s not interested in the internet or social media and I also get the impression that he’s not particularly comfortable in the spotlight.
 
Barking Pugilist said:
I’m sure it would sell a few hundred copies or maybe even a few thousand. There’s material there for a book and I guess it could be padded out with commentary about the societal and fashion trends that were extant during his career. His cooperation would be required, he‘s not interested in the internet or social media and I also get the impression that he’s not particularly comfortable in the spotlight.
Click to expand...
I suppose it would need to be a labour of love. I reckon that Yuca or 4 Hepcat or even you, Barking, have enough knowledge and interest and writing ability to produce something good. Somebody should do it. As TRS says above. John Simons and British Ivy need rescuing.
 
Just in case there are new readers who aren't sure who John Simons is.

Unfortunately the article is fully Wellerised and Rowlandised.

SmartSelectImage_2022-07-03-17-14-35.png
 
Last edited:
Barking Pugilist said:
There have been mixed views about the JS film, especially from people that could have been involved in making it but weren’. Personally I thought it was pretty good, but a film about a guy who ran clothes shops was never going to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Click to expand...
Not seen the film just some clips or maybe a trailer, but I was reminded of one of those 'I Love the 80s' programmes with the talking heads playing it up for the camera, perhaps even making it up.
 
Streetlight said:
Not seen the film just some clips or maybe a trailer, but I was reminded of one of those 'I Love the 80s' programmes with the talking heads playing it up for the camera, perhaps even making it up.
Click to expand...
Yes. That's one of the reasons why a book is being suggested.
 
A 2O18 Ivy Style interview with John Simons following the release of the film , The Modernist. Only 5 comments by Ivy Stylers, but at least one is infomative and his name may sound familiar.

www.ivy-style.com

The Modernist: An Interview With John Simons - Ivy Style

Going into London’s J. Simons store is like stepping into a time machine. You’re immediately transported into an era of jazz, of illustrated advertisements, and good clothes. But for those that can’t make it into the brick and mortar store, the 2018 film John Simons – A Modernist, is your next...
www.ivy-style.com www.ivy-style.com
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
I suppose it would need to be a labour of love. I reckon that Yuca or 4 Hepcat or even you, Barking, have enough knowledge and interest and writing ability to produce something good. Somebody should do it. As TRS says above. John Simons and British Ivy need rescuing.
Click to expand...
Another possibility would be a ghostwritten book. The assumption here is that JS would not be interested in dusting off his keyboard.
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
I suppose it would need to be a labour of love. I reckon that Yuca or 4 Hepcat or even you, Barking, have enough knowledge and interest and writing ability to produce something good. Somebody should do it. As TRS says above. John Simons and British Ivy need rescuing.
Click to expand...
Yuca is a published author!
 
Pimpernel Smith said:
Why not a book about making the documentary about John Simons?

It was a Don Letts production, was it not?
Click to expand...
No. A book about a film can only be about a very well-known film

So it was Don Letts was it. I remember him from some TV panel show where he always spoke about another West Indian talking to Don Letts. Was it Bob Marley?
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
No. A book about a film can only be about a very well-known film

So it was Don Letts was it. I remember him from some TV panel show where he always spoke about another West Indian talking to Don Letts. Was it Bob Marley?
Click to expand...
Think I could be wrong. If not him, who was it then?

His documentaries have always been good, from Westway to the World and on to the skinhead one which was really good.
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
I can't see how that matters.

He writes well and has a deep interest in Ivy, and is clearly aware of how fashion relates to society ,and so on.
Click to expand...
It does, it may give him an edge, an insight from his writing discipline. Say, a musicologist will bring something different to say a writer of romantic fiction. A detective novelist something different again, a technical author, might not be right for the project.
 
Pimpernel Smith said:
It does, it may give him an edge, an insight from his writing discipline. Say, a musicologist will bring something different to say a writer of romantic fiction. A detective novelist something different again, a technical author, might not be right for the project.
Click to expand...
Oh, well In that case please collect Yuca' s c.v. and Woof's and send them along with yours to Doghouse.
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
Oh, well In that case please collect Yuca' s c.v. and Woof's and send them along with yours to Doghouse.
Click to expand...
I'd have loved to have done it in my later youth, but now I've finally got my active imagination working in sync with my conscious, I'm just not bothered anymore to be a writer. It seems a rather fool's errand. I did quite like some of dissolute lifestyle elements, the drinking, whoring, bullfighting and bullshitting, but these days, I prefer fine dining.

Someone who does have a good literary elements in his style, is AFS. He'll romance it too, if there's no source or reference. Which is a good quality for this mission.
 
Pimpernel Smith said:
I'd have loved to have done it in my later youth, but now I've finally got my active imagination working in sync with my conscious, I'm just not bothered anymore to be a writer. It seems a rather fool's errand. I did quite like some of dissolute lifestyle elements, the drinking, whoring, bullfighting and bullshitting, but these days, I prefer fine dining.

Someone who does have a good literary elements in his style, is AFS. He'll romance it too, if there's no source or reference. Which is a good quality for this mission.
Click to expand...
So you reckon AFS then, Mr Smith? But what will happen to Talk Ivy when he starts his project? Surely he won't be able to continue to produce 99% of the posts there and write the book every Ivyist is waiting for. Maybe approach him and perhaps find another?
 
Streetlight said:
This film?

Click to expand...

That's fantastic, love it! And I am Weller fan. Interestingly enough, elements of sea shanties and Chas & Dave have been creeping into his song writing of late.
Sammy Ambrose said:
So you reckon AFS then, Mr Smith? But what will happen to Talk Ivy when he starts his project? Surely he won't be able to continue to produce 99% of the posts there and write the book every Ivyist is waiting for. Maybe approach him and perhaps find another?
Click to expand...
He could do, but I wager he's too busy like the rest of us. But then again, maybe not, when he comes over here, we can ask him!
 
Last edited:
I seem to recall John Simon's initial intention with his shops was to sell clothing to 'young executive' types but it never quite worked out that way. Puts quite a different gloss on the mythos...
 
Streetlight said:
I seem to recall John Simon's initial intention with his shops was to sell clothing to 'young executive' types but it never quite worked out that way. Puts quite a different gloss on the mythos...
Click to expand...
I bet the last thing he wanted was little British Mods
 
Sammy Ambrose said:
I bet the last thing he wanted was little British Mods
Click to expand...
I dunno' the two times I've been to the shop, I've been the only customer in there. No Mods, Weller or even Gary Glitter in sight.

Did go to the boozer around the corner that JFM recommended for a quick slurp before heading off to London City.
 
Pimpernel Smith said:
I dunno' the two times I've been to the shop, I've been the only customer in there. No Mods, Weller or even Gary Glitter in sight.

Did go to the boozer around the corner that JFM recommended for a quick slurp before heading off to London City.
Click to expand...
A lot of Mod’ishness featuring in their publicity material of late, scooters parked outside the shop, Mark Baxter, collaborations with Paul Weller. Yet I don’t see that reflected in the clothing.
 
Barking Pugilist said:
A lot of Mod’ishness featuring in their publicity material of late, scooters parked outside the shop, Mark Baxter, collaborations with Paul Weller. Yet I don’t see that reflected in the clothing.
Click to expand...
That could be a mismatch between advertising and customer requirement. Or it could be an attempt to cleverly get buyers to believe they can look like Paul Weller and still look the way they want.
 
Who the fuck wants to look like Weller?
He’s an absolute mess!
I suppose there are the Wellends but are they likely to be shopping at JS?
 
Barking Pugilist said:
A lot of Mod’ishness featuring in their publicity material of late, scooters parked outside the shop, Mark Baxter, collaborations with Paul Weller. Yet I don’t see that reflected in the clothing.
Click to expand...

That has to be a good thing, don't want to end up looking like that Modshop in Camden Market.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top Bottom