When I caught sight of Alexa Chung’s cover for October’s Harper’s Bazaar, it became clear that the Sixties had taken centre stage as a trend for AW11. Flicks of black eyeliner, A-line shapes, brightly coloured geometric patterns, all the unmistakable tropes of an era many of us were born far from but still adore.

Although the magazine understandably played on the ‘Brit Girl’ tag, the fashion houses most inspired by the period too adopted a resolutely British vision. The visual shorthand has become Carnaby Street, A Hard Day’s Night, David Bailey and Twiggy. As a Brit, I’m sure to be guilty as anyone for perpetuating this myth. And then I did a straight up Google of events in the decade only to find that so many moments worldwide took place in this bracket. Events that we all know about but that I’d never really bothered  to learn the dates. From the Paris Riots of 1968 to the erection of the Berlin Wall and the assassination of several American political leaders it’s clear to see why there was unrest amongst the youth, and not just because The Beatles were wearing tight trousers.

For now at least, photos taken in Paris in May 1968 by Magnum represent one fraction of aggrieved youths. You know what? I think there’ll be a lot more posts on the Sixites to come.

Images courtesy of magxone (Harper’s Bazaar UK Oct ’11), Vogue Japan Sept ’11 (Fashion Gone Rogue), Marni AW11 (Style.com), Paris, May 1968 Riots (Magnum)