Long before she was swigging Bollinger as the beehived, chain-smoking Patsy Stone, Joanna Lumley was a staple of the London fashion scene. But honestly, if you picture her as some pampered runway queen, you've got the wrong idea. The reality was much grittier.
It was 1964. Lumley had just been rejected from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She was 18, tall, and possessed that specific kind of "plummy" accent that suggested she belonged in a drawing room, not a casting office. Instead of moping, she went to the Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. Basically, it was a finishing school for models where you learned to walk with a book on your head and look "composed" while your feet were killing you.
The Grind of 60's Modeling Joanna Lumley Lived Through
Most people think "Swinging Sixties" and imagine non-stop parties at the Ad Lib club with Mick Jagger. For Lumley, it was more about hauling a heavy suitcase full of wigs and makeup across London on the Tube. In those days, models did their own hair. They did their own makeup. You'd show up to a shoot in a drafty warehouse and be expected to transform yourself into a vision of high fashion in twenty minutes.
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She wasn't just some face on a billboard. She was a house model for the legendary Jean Muir. If you aren't a fashion nerd, you might not know Muir, but she was the "Queen of the Dress."
Working for Muir wasn't about "strutting." It was about "engineering in cloth." Lumley would stand for hours while Muir pinned jersey and crepe directly onto her body. They became incredibly close—Lumley even calls her an "immortal" legend today. This wasn't the flashy, drug-fueled modeling world of the tabloids; it was a masterclass in craftsmanship and discipline.
Why 60's Modeling Joanna Lumley Was Different
There’s a common misconception that Lumley was just a "pretty face" before she found acting. Total nonsense.
Look at the photographers she worked with: Brian Duffy and Patrick Lichfield. Duffy was part of the "Black Trinity"—the photographers who defined the look of the decade. He photographed Lumley in 1967 with her infant son, James. It’s a strikingly modern image for the time. She was a single mother in the late sixties, working a high-pressure job to pay the bills.
- She appeared in the famous Nimble bread commercial, floating in a hot air balloon.
- She modeled for teenage hairstyles by Gerard Austen, promoting the "Bodywave."
- She was one of the top ten most-booked models in the mid-to-late sixties.
Despite the success, she kinda hated the "model" label. She’s famously said that in the 60s, "anybody could be a model." She didn't see it as an art form; she saw it as a way to avoid a boring office job and maybe get an open-top car. She wanted to be in Italy wearing red lipstick, not sitting in a solicitor’s office in Bedford.
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The Shift to the Screen
By 1969, the modeling world was starting to feel small. She landed a tiny role in Some Girls Do and then, famously, became a "Bond Girl" in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. She played one of the "Angels of Death."
Most models of that era stayed models. They faded away when the "Youthquake" ended. Lumley didn't. She used the discipline she learned from Jean Muir—that workhorse mentality—to pivot into TV. She took a three-week stint on Coronation Street as Elaine Perkins. She didn't think she was "above" it. She just wanted to work.
What We Can Learn From Her Early Career
The biggest takeaway from the 60's modeling Joanna Lumley era isn't about the clothes. It's about the hustle. She was a freelance worker in a cutthroat industry before the term "gig economy" existed.
If you're looking to understand her legacy, don't just watch the old commercials. Look at her relationship with the clothes themselves. She once said that once you put your clothes on, you should wear them—they shouldn't wear you. It’s that exact confidence that allowed her to transition from a "mannequin" for Jean Muir to the high-kicking Purdey in The New Avengers.
Actionable Insights for Modern Style and Career:
- Invest in "The Back View": Lumley’s #1 fashion tip is to always check how you look from behind. Most people see you from the back, yet we only obsess over the front in the mirror.
- Embrace the "Pivot": When her dream of RADA failed, she didn't stop. She used modeling as a bridge. If your primary career path hits a wall, find a "bridge" industry that uses your natural assets.
- Prioritize Movement: Following Jean Muir’s philosophy, choose clothes that enhance your movement. If you can't move naturally, you'll never look "stylish," regardless of the brand.
- Discipline Over Hype: The longevity of Lumley’s career didn't come from being "it." It came from being the model who showed up, did her own makeup, and stood still for the pins.
Check out the National Museum of Scotland’s digital archive of Jean Muir’s work to see the specific silhouettes Lumley helped create. It’s a masterclass in 1960s minimalism that still looks expensive today.