In the 1960s, British music went global for the first time with the irresistible tide of the ‘British Invasion’.

The original look and sound of beat groups like The Beatles, R&B bands like The Rolling Stones and female singers like Petula Clark took America by storm and were met with mass fan hysteria and huge record sales. Britain became the pop powerhouse.

As the British economy recovered from post-war rationing and austerity, pop, fashion and youth culture moved into a period of intense stylistic and technological change. Skirts became shorter, music more diverse and bold Pop Art colours and patterns began to light up mid-60s clothes design. In April 1966, Time magazine published its report on the world’s most fashionable city, "Swinging London".