The Fool (design collective)

The Fool were a Dutch design collective who were influential in the psychedelic style of art in British popular music at the end of the 1960s. The colourful art draws on many fantastical and mystical themes. The name is a reference to The Fool tarot card

Related Topics:
Dutch - Psychedelic - 1960s - The Fool - Tarot card

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The original members were Dutch artists Simon Posthuma and Marijke Koger who were discovered by photographer Karl Ferris among the hippie community on the Spanish island of Ibiza in 1966. He took photographs of clothes designed by them and sent them to London where they were published in The Times and immediately caused a sensation. Ferris took the Fool back to London and together they opened a studio, with the Dutch artists producing clothes and art and Ferris pursuing photography. Barry Finch and an artist recorded only as Josie joined later.

Related Topics:
Karl Ferris - Hippie - Spanish - Ibiza - 1966 - The Times

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Their work includes:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• The colourful clothes worn by the Hollies on the cover of their 1966 album Evolution
• The striking cover of the Incredible String Band's classic 1967 LP The 5000 spirits or the layers of the onion
• The clothes the Beatles wore for the 1967 TV broadcast of "All You Need Is Love", and also the decoration of John Lennon's Gibson J160E acoustic guitar, which appeared in the broadcast
• A huge 3-storey mural painted in psychedelic colours on the facade of the Beatles' Apple Boutique in London's Baker Street, which also stocked their creations. Months later, the mural was painted over by civic order, due to protests from other local businesses, before the shop failed
• The bodywork on John Lennon's Rolls-Royce. This outraged one old woman in central London who attacked it with her umbrella, shouting: "You swine, you swine! How dare you do this to a Rolls-Royce!" (He answered by obtaining another Rolls, and painting it flat-black)
• Decoration to John Lennon's piano
• Decoration to George Harrison's Mini car and bungalow Kinfauns (including a custom fireplace), as well as several of Harrison's guitars
• Decoration to Eric Clapton's legendary Gibson SG guitar and Jack Bruce's Fender VI (six-string) bass for the 1967 Cream (band) tour of the US
• Set design for Joe Massot's 1968 movie Wonderwall. They also appeared in the film's party scene
• Paul McCartney's upright piano
 
The Fool (design collective): External links ►