These days fashion and hit television go hand in hand – what’s an episode of Gossip Girl without the clothes?  A television classic, The Avengers pioneered stylish television with its keen fashion sense. This was the first television series to showcase an original style alongside intrigue by featuring clothing by the likes of Pierre Cardin and pioneering distinctive filming techniques, effortlessly capturing the Zeitgest of the swinging sixties mod. Fifty years later we continue to look to the iconic a-line dresses, skintight cat suits, go-go boots, and belted trench coats for sartorial inspiration.

The Avengers: A Celebration by Marcus Hearn chronicles the making of the show – its characters, history, influence, and, of course, style. It’s the perfect coffee table book for lovers of the show, the era, and the fashion. Spanning from 1961 to 1969, the show’s cultural impact is immense, influencing everything from television (Law and Order) and movies (Austin Powers) to fashionistas (Victoria Beckham) and designers (Tom Ford).

What I enjoyed most about the book – amazing images aside – was learning that the part of Mrs. Gale was originally intended to be played by a man. In casting producers decided to showcase a strong, non-nonsense female character instead. This was the first instance on television when male and female characters were portrayed as equals.

Groovy, baby.

~ Caitlin Agnew