Clare Bewicke was photographed by John d Green at his Kensington studio on 7 July November 1966 for Birds of Britain.
Bewicke was one half of Deborah & Clare, bespoke shirt makers based in Beauchamp Place, London SW3 from 1965-1975.
The pair set up business together as designers in 1965, working from a condemned basement in Walton Street, Chelsea. They specialised in bespoke shirts, using a Greek shirtmaker in London’s East End. Until this time custom-made men’s shirts were largely the preserve of Jermyn Street tailors catering to a traditional elite.
Their London shop soon became known for their contemporary twist on classic shirt making. Sample books of fine English shirts sat reassuringly on the desk alongside more sensual cloths from the collections of Europe’s most sophisticated textile manufacturers. The shop was designed by David Mlinaric – who also designed the interior of Sibylla’s nightclub where the Birds of Britain launch party was held. It became one of the trendiest venues in London, attracting a global clientele of all persuasion including Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger (who wore a D&C dove silk shirt at his 1971 wedding to Bianca Pérez-Mora Macias).
