From the archive: 'This retina-awakening advert for British Nylon Spinners Limited sums up the swinging 1960s perfectly'

It’s 1961, and this retina-awakening advert for British Nylon Spinners Limited sums up the just-about-to-start-swinging part of the 1960’s in the UK perfectly.

Two couples relax in their local pub. He’s treated her to a glass of effervescent Babycham, while he proudly holds his pewter tankard brimming with warm ale. Wearing his brand new, state-of-the-art, bright red nylon sweater shirt, he looks almost groovy, man! However, miild peril awaits behind him in the form of a dart-throwing lady, and a gentleman about to light his cigarette worryingly close to the aforementioned man-made fabric jumper. Also, somewhat alarmingly, the advert suggests you should wear your nylon long-sleeved top all weekend long, which surely must have resulted in some strain in his relationship.

British Nylon Spinners Ltd — a conglomerate of ICI and Coulthard’s — first started advertising in the pages of Country Life in 1948, with this small advert demonstrating its advantages for evicting newts from their homes (modern readers are strongly advised not to do this). By the end of the 1950’s, the company had found colour. Lots of colour. And a way of knitting their fabric to make easy-wear, easy clean, no-iron clothing in dazzling technicolour.

All manner of attire was produced from socks, stockings and lingerie to swimsuits, but the company’s main focus of advertising in our magazine in the 1960’s appears to have been men’s fashion.

By the 1970’s, Bry-Nylon only gets a mention as upholstery in the memorable Austin Allegro, and, possibly finally finding its niche, as a practical fabric for waterproof sail bags. Its final mention is in 1985, when readers were invited to send off for a knitting pattern for small cushions that could be knitted from a yarn that somewhat ingloriously 'contained' Bry-Nylon.

The Country Life Image Archive contains more than 150,000 images documenting British culture and heritage, from 1897 to the present day. An additional 50,000 assets from the historic archive are scheduled to be added this year — with completion expected in Summer 2025. To search and purchase images directly from the Image Archive, please register here