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I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet is a clothing
Mod era shirt and the original shop sign
from ''I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet'' at the
Transcript of an interview with Robert Orbach
recorded in February 2006. Victoria and Albert Museum. Accessed August 2009 *Online boutique https://www.iwaslordkitchenersvalet.com/home/aboutus
I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet is a clothing boutique
A boutique () is a small shop that deals in fashionable clothing or accessories. The word is French for "shop", which derives ultimately from the Ancient Greek ἀποθήκη (''apothēkē'') "storehouse".
The term ''boutique'' and also ''d ...
which achieved fame in 1960s "Swinging London
The Swinging Sixties was a youth-driven cultural revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-to-late 1960s, emphasising modernity and fun-loving hedonism, with Swinging London as its centre. It saw a flourishing in art, mus ...
" by promoting antique military uniform
A military uniform is a standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations.
Military dress and styles have gone through significant changes over the centuries, from colourful and elaborate, ornamented c ...
s as fashion items.
I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet was opened by Ian Fisk and John Paul soon joined by Robert Orbach at 293 Portobello Road
Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is ...
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road M ...
, London, in 1965. Among the shop's customers were Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
, Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
and Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
.
Robert Orbach arranged for his ex boss Warren Gold aka Lord John
Lord John was a British men's fashion retailer, which opened its first store at 43 Carnaby Street, London, at the corner with Ganton Street, in 1963.
The first Lord John boutique was opened by the brothers Warren, Harold and David Gold in Car ...
to rent the shop in Wardour Street
Wardour Street () is a street in Soho, City of Westminster, London. It is a one-way street that runs north from Leicester Square, through Chinatown, London, Chinatown, across Shaftesbury Avenue to Oxford Street. Throughout the 20th century the ...
to John Paul. Another new branch of Kitchener's was opened in Foubert's Place, off Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in Soho in the City of Westminster, Central London. Close to Oxford Street and Regent Street, it is home to fashion and lifestyle retailers, including many independent fashion boutiques.
Stre ...
, also arranged by Orbach selling militaria and Swinging London novelty items, that was rented from Henry Moss and Harry Fox of Lady Jane fame.
In 1967 two more Kitchener's outlets opened on Carnaby Street and later expanded to sites in Piccadilly Circus and then King's Road (where the shop was named I Was Lord Kitchener's Thing). The military uniforms on sale largely consisted of scarlet tunics derived from pre-1914 stocks that had been withdrawn from regular army use upon the outbreak of World War I.
In the summer of 1967, Fisk and Paul dissolved their partnership. Fisk took sole ownership of the Portobello road premises, which became the Injun Dog head-shop (subtitled Once I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet).
The last Kitchener's outlet in Coventry Street
Coventry Street is a short street in the West End of London, connecting Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square. Part of the street is a section of the A4, a major road through London. It is named after the politician Henry Coventry, secretary ...
closed its doors in 1977, but is still remembered as an important Swinging Sixties boutique.
The New Vaudeville Band
The New Vaudeville Band was a group created by songwriter Geoff Stephens in 1966 to record his novelty composition "Winchester Cathedral", a song inspired by the dance bands of the 1920s and a Rudy Vallee megaphone-style vocal. To his surprise, ...
recorded a song titled "I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet", in tribute to the shop, which didn't chart.
In 2021, John Paul relaunched I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet as an online boutique.
References
External links
Mod era shirt and the original shop sign
from ''I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet'' at the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
and the Museum of London
The Museum of London is a museum in London, covering the history of the UK's capital city from prehistoric to modern times. It was formed in 1976 by amalgamating collections previously held by the City Corporation at the Guildhall, London, Gui ...
. Accessed June 2008Transcript of an interview with Robert Orbach
recorded in February 2006. Victoria and Albert Museum. Accessed August 2009 *Online boutique https://www.iwaslordkitchenersvalet.com/home/aboutus