Rare tie bought for 99p in Southampton charity shop goes on display in London fashion exhibition
A tie found in a Southampton charity shop, has gone on display at a London museum.
The rare Mr Fish kipper tie was bought for 99p at an Age UK store in the city.
It was created by menswear designer Michael Fish in the 1960's and 70s - who dressed Sean Connery for his first role as James Bond.
His designs were also worn by David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Michael Caine.
The tie is now on display at the Museum of London Docklands as part of its latest exhibition Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners shaped global style, and will be on show until April 2024.
65-year-old charity shop enthusiast Janneke van der Wal was the one who found it. Attracted by its design and colour, she had no idea of its cultural significance but after googling the designer when she got home, decided to contact the Museum of London to donate it to their collection.
“I'm not in the habit of buying ties at all, but I saw it out of the corner of my eye and there was just something about it: the vibrant colours and the width.
"It reminded me of the Seventies,” said Janneke.
“I had absolutely no use for it, but thought perhaps it would come in handy if there ever was a fancy dress party.
“Once home, I noticed the Mr. Fish label, which sounded kinda zany, so decided to search the internet to see if I could find out a little more about it.
"I didn't get very far, but far enough to realise that maybe a museum might be interested in it. This is when I decided to contact the Museum of London.
“I love charity shops- if you do find something to wear, then it's a win win situation: the charity shop gets a little money, you get something "new" to wear and the item has not gone to landfill.
"It just goes to show, you never know what you might find- I'm thrilled to see the tie is now part of this fantastic exhibition!”
This type of tie, with its exaggerated wide shape, became known as a ‘kipper tie’- a name created as a pun on the designer’s name, Michael Fish.
As well as Sean Connery, his designs were also worn by notable celebrities including Mick Jagger, Muhammad Ali, Jimi Hendrix, and Michael Caine.
David Bowie famously wore a Mr Fish dress on the cover of his 1970 album The Man Who Sold the World.
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Dr Lucie Whitmore, curator of Fashion City said: “Objects come to the museum through many different avenues and we’re delighted to have these iconic pieces of London fashion in our collection and on display in the exhibition.
"Like so many items in Fashion City, these pieces were designed to last and have been treasured by their owners, passed down through families, or worn and resold.
"It is all part of the fabric of their history.
"Given the strong connection between Jewish makers and second-hand fashions, there is a wonderful symmetry to them finding a home at the museum this way.”