COI Collection Vol.2 - Design For Today

Great DVD, so informative if you are interested in the history of design and if you love fashion and the historical side, then the film 'Sixty Years Of Fashion', is the one for you, it takes a look at fashions from the 1900's to the 1960's. I first saw this film on Sky Arts hence why I decided to find out if it was on DVD. So glad I did :)

Interesting collection. Obviously very dated and some of the films have worn less well than others. Essential as social documentary and makes for nostalgic viewing. The sound quality is variable but hardly surprising. Recommended.

This collection of seventeen short films, made from 1948-85, covers four design subjects: Architecture, industrial, household, plus fashion.On disc one, From 1952 we have the Festival of Britain, with it's futuristic dome taking centre stage, and from 1965 the film "Design For Living", with it's domestic and architectural designs, which although state of the art then, now naturally appear dated.There's also a 1973 interview with architect Basil Spence, (designer of Coventry Cathedral).Disc two opens with the 1960 film "Sixty Years Of Fashion", which charts the changing face of women's fashions from the early 1900's to the end of the 1950's. One film from 1970 features independant womenswear Boutique Biba, with husband and wife owners Stephen Fitz-Simons and Barbara Hulanicki, who allow customers to browse with no shop assistant asking "can I help you Madam", (what a lovely idea!).A five minute film "the Mary Quant show" made in 1974, features short interviews with Mary Quant looking forward to the 1970's, with photographer David Bailey and 60's supermodel Jean Shrimpton admitting to being relieved at leaving the 1960's behind. The dawn of the 1980's features an insight into the work of fashion designer Zandra Rhodes. This is another enjoyable BFI release, informative, educational, and nostalgic.Here is a list of the films with brief details:*DISC ONE:Designing Women (1948,B/W,23 mins).Designed In Britain (1959,colour,15 mins).Brief City (1952,B/W,19 mins).Design For Today (1965,colour,15 mins).This Week In Britain 615: National Theatre (1970,B/W,5 mins).The Pacemakers: Basil Spence (1973,colour,15 mins).Insight: Terence Conran (1981,colour,14 mins).*DISC TWO:Sixty Years Of Fashion (1960,colour,18 mins).Miniskirts Make Money (1968,colour,1 min).The Pacemakers: Biba (1970,colour,14 mins).The Country Look (1971,colour,3 mins).This Week In Fashion 750: Men's Fashions (1973,B/W,5 mins).24 hours: Men's Fashions (Spanish) (1973,colour,5 mins).This Week In Britain 791: The Mary Quant Show (1974,colour,5 mins).This Week In Britain 1111: Savile Row (1976,colour,5 mins).Insight: Zandra Rhodes (1981,colour,14 mins).A Woman's Place: The Image Makers: (1985,colour,30 mins).*SPECIAL FEATURES:*Fully illustrated 24-page booklet including comprehensive contextualising notes and essays.*Two new specially commissioned scores by Saint Etienne.*Dolby Digital mono audio.*Optional English subtitles.

Any documentary of the 1950s onwards is useful as I make models for that era and want to get everything as correct as possible. Very easy to get the wrong artefact in for the years you are portraying.Films give us an insight and this is no exception. As expected from BFI good quality and helpful notes.Note that you get two versions of two films - with newer musical scores which I persoanlly was less interested in. Also another is repeated in Spanish and in colour. Would not have minded an extra film or two!However very good with two films from 1981 and two from 1970 otherwise all 50s and 60s.