Part of the Swinging London scene in the early years, and with a destination store on Wigmore Street that attracted rock stars such as Mick Jagger, it grew into a substantial wholesaler and retailer and was even more influential in the 1970s, when UK-wide concessions created accessible and affordable high fashion.
"[3] After warning Times readers about the skimpy and body-revealing doors of the women's changing rooms, Glynn added that this store was the best way to see Whiteside's whole collection in context.
[2] The shop was a testing ground for new ideas that might later be included in the wholesale range, King-Deacon reported, and he defined it as effectively a couture house, the key differences being the ready-to-wear designs, the limited choice of sizes and the low prices.
Turnaround on designs was rapid – as little as two weeks – and men's and women's clothes were made up in the same factory and in similar materials to bypass the tradition of higher manufacturing prices for menswear.
[4][5] In September 1969, Stirling Cooper was among the brands – alongside Clobber, Quorum and John Marks – to receive financial assistance from the Clothing Export Council to attend the Paris prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) fashion fair, showing on a group stand.
After a year, they moved on to join Ossie Clark & Alice Pollock at Quorum, where they created some of the most iconic fashion looks of the decade .
Later in their careers, they worked independently under their own label and also designed & consulted for major fashion companies Jaeger and Marks & Spencer By 1970, Stirling Cooper was producing handbags, belts and accessories that were stocked by the new Bata shoe shop on Oxford Street.
A key survival strategy was to continually drip-feed new styles into stores throughout the season, combining staple fashion items with more outrageous lines to attract attention.
[15][16] Paul Dass bought the Stirling Cooper business in 1992 and decided to move it back to its original focus on working with up-and-coming designers.
Initially he recruited Bella Freud, who spent a year with the brand producing signature pieces such as suits and skinny knits.
[17] Dass also undertook a refurbishment programme, using David Quigley Architects to create urban-themed interiors for its six stores,[18] including the Oxford Street flagship.