John Bates

Fashion designer, John Bates experimented with op-art fashion in the Sixties, with black and white bold contrasting shapes and styles, although he stuck to classic silhouettes and cuts.

He was also famous for designing the black leather outfits worn by Diana Rigg in The Avengers and the dresses worn by Julie Christie in the film, Shampoo. He also introduced some of the shortest mini dresses in the early sixties, trouser suits in 1962, string vest dresses in 1963, striped tube dresses with matching stockings and the 'Bikini Dress' which had a top and bottom halves, joined with transparent netting.

Jean Shrimpton models John Bates, for Vogue, 1966.