From the photo shoot. |
Some time in spring or early summer 1963, The Beatles were photographed for the advertisement. The photos weren't used as is, but formed the basis of drawings, which appeared in ads for the jeans.
The Lybro label. |
The Lybro Factory was located in Liverpool on Mount Vernon Road. According to Photographer apprentice Richard Cooper, the photo shoot occurred on the week their third single, "From Me To You" reached number one in the UK. This would turn out to be the only non-musical product endorsement The Beatles agreed to venture in throughout their career, other than their own merchandise.
Looking north from the Liverpool Cathedral tower, 1962. Lybro factory in red frame in the upper left corner. |
"Lybro made four different jeans for the band. Paul’s were dog-tooth, John’s striped, Ringo’s were black and George’s royal blue. The band hated the jeans. They were hideous."
- Tony Bramwell, Fab Gear: The Beatles and Fashion
"The huge importance the band placed on always looking Fab can be gauged from the fact that the Lybro affair was the first and last time The Beatles would ever advertise anyone else’s product."
- Fab Gear: The Beatles and Fashion by Paolo Hewitt.
The folder, as closed |
The folder, folded out |
This is the main Beatles related item, a rare fold out advertising flyer for Lybro Jeans, featuring the drawings of the Beatles. The leaflet folds out to reveal a black and white image of Paul, John, George and Ringo with a facsimile signature next to each image and a comment on the jeans. When folded out it measures 35cm x 22.5cm (14 inches x 9 inches). The campaign, featuring the folder, at least one full page advertisement and at least one post card, was only in effect during the summer of 1963.
The folder, other side |
A drawing was also used in a full page ad. |
The photo which the drawing in the full page ad was based on. |
Recent colourised interpretation. |
Here are the four individual full figure portraits of the Beatles which the drawings were based on. The photographs were all originally in black & white, but have turned up colourised in later years.
Here is a colourised version which has shown up in recent years:
Recent colourised version of the four individual shots. |
A specialist in fantasy covers produced this colourised version of the photo for one of his imaginary albums:
The Lybro factory was demolished in 1983, as part of the extensive roadworks to improve access to the M62.
9 comments:
Thanks so much for this interesting story!
Thanks Roger
Where does the May 4th date come from? Beatles were off on vacation that month (John and Brian in Spain, others in Tenerife), so it can't be right. Could it have been April 5th (5/4 vs. 4/5), when they were in London doing PR at EMI House?
DinsdaleP is right, I forgot to check the date! May be a US/UK date format discrepancy as you suggest, but the Richard Cooper should know which city he was working in.
Good point - if it is Liverpool, I would suggest May 26th, based on the haircuts.
Didn't the Beatles also promote Typhoo Tea?
the lybro demolished in 1983 for an access road to m62 motorway ?
the factory should never have been demolished as the road is hardly
a feeder road for the motorway even now in 2016 ,, 'disgusting planning by this liverpool council 'idiots !!!
Did Lybro brand their Jean's as Lybro Americano in the 1950s
Is DinsdaleP still around, like to have conversation about his way of determining the date with the haircut in mind...
"DinsdaleP said...
Good point - if it is Liverpool, I would suggest May 26th, based on the haircuts."
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