Aristoc

Something of a diversion this week. I recently read this article by Katie Thomas of What Katie Did, about the (possibly terminal) decline of the British hosiery industry. Among other things, it mentioned that Aristoc had gone into receivership. I don't think I've ever bought anything from the Aristoc brand, but I did vaguely remember seeing some of their advertisements in Vogue Pattern Book (Aristoc was always a high-end product, so it made sense that it should advertise in a Vogue publication), and of course I had to investigate. Sure enough, they were one of the very few non sewing-related brands which advertised in there, and did so for a number of years. 

Although the pattern book became a standalone publication in 1949, the first Aristoc advert didn't appear until 1952. As this article explains, the company's output had changed dramatically during the war years, so it may have taken some time to return to stocking manufacture. The prime position of the advert, on the outside back cover of the magazine, suggests that Aristoc was willing to spend heavily on advertising. There is minimal information however, just the tagline "the aristocrat of stockings", with no explanation of the different colours of packaging.

June-July 1952 issue

The next advert, a year later, has a similar image, albeit drawn rather than photographed. There is also more copy - including the suggestion that stockings are still in short supply. The text of the logo has changed to white text on a black background, and will remain this way for some time.

June-July 1953

Another year later, and the tagline, logo, and drawing of two hands are still there, but the emphasis is on the male viewpoint.

June-July 1954

This continues in the second advert of this series.

August-September 1954

Unusually, this advert is repeated in the February-March 1955 issue, but on the inside back page. From this point on the adverts are always inside the magazine, but they are always a full page.

Later in the year, a very different approach appears. There is information on some of the different stockings available, along with their prices. There are also stockings "from as little as 8/11d" (107 old pence), but no indication of which ones are this price. For comparison, this issue of Vogue Pattern Book costs 24 old pence, as does a Butterick pattern for a "nightie, brunch coat and lounging outfit", an ordinary Vogue pattern costs 42 old pence, Paris Original patterns cost 102 old pence, and a yard of Marchington printed cotton costs "about" 155 old pence. Despite this hefty price tag, the copy makes reference to young women liking Aristoc stockings.

October-November 1955

I don't know how much research was done into the effectiveness of advertising in the 1950s, but 1956 sees a reversion to the minimalist approach, and the faint suggestion of maturity.

February-March 1956

But later in the year, it's all change again. There's a younger feel, the start of the "fashion looks to" slogan, and both the frame and the font of the logo are less formal. Price information is back, but in line with this being a quality product, it starts with the high price; "16/11 to as little as 6/11".

August-September 1956

The next advert is similar, but has lost the stocking and two hands image which has appeared in some form in all previous versions.

February-March 1957

After this comes a similar look but more formal, a tiara and jewels but no stocking imagery at all. Its main purpose seems to be imparting the news that Aristoc is now an associate member of the British couture organisation, IncSoc. In line with this, the old logo is back.

October-November 1957

Then, another change of direction. Away from the inside back page, black and white rather than colour, and back to youth and informality. There's a new logo - a black shape over a shadow of the fancy frame, and a very slightly different typeface.

The latters are the same width, but slightly taller

The "fashion looks to" slogan is still there, but also "fully fashioned stockings fit the best!" - presumably a riposte to the arrival of stretch stockings.

August-September 1958

Unusually, the next advert appears in the next issue of the pattern book. This time it's an illustration, but still younger oriented and with the "fully fashioned" slogan. The logo has lost the frame and has a new black shape which reflects the word within it. The pricing now mentions that this is for a pair.

October-November 1958

Two issues later comes a similar advert, but prices are now in ascending order and a smaller range - "8/11, 10/11 and 11/6".

February-March 1959

Then prices disappear, along with most of the copy. The male interest looks rather more raffish than his mid-fifties predecessor - perhaps it's the moustache!

October-November 1959

The cusp of the 1960s sees a simpler image, harking back to earlier adverts. The frame is back in a sketchy form and there is a new slogan "on the heels of fashion".

December-January 1959-60

Frame and slogan are short-lived, as the adverts return to the inside back cover and colour. There's more copy, and prices are back to descending order and October-November 1958 levels. This seems to be aimed at older women again?

April-May 1960

Next comes a softer image, with the logo in a toning colour rather than black.

October-November 1960

I've come to the conclusion that if you spend a lot of time looking at older magazines you will, sooner or later, come across an advert which makes you wonder, "What were they thinking?" (the Jaeger tubas is a case in point.) Consider all the adverts that have gone before this point. They vary wildly but there is, still, a degree of continuity. But then, we come to this.

February-March 1961

The tagline "the aristocrat of stockings" has gone (although to be fair, there is not much aristocratic about this image). Also, why is model in bright pink to emphasise that shade goes with mint green? And in case you were wondering, the knight in shining armour is not about to start a snowball fight - the round thing he is holding is part of the bridle of his cardboard horse. Obviously.

Someone was clearly so pleased with this image that it appeared again in the next issue. Now with the tagline back and the shadow frame. Not that this improves things much.

April-May 1961

A couple of issues later, everyone has had a lie down and the advertising returns to something like form. Wildest dreams are no longer being fulfilled, instead Aristoc will to "put spice in your life". The tagline and frame are gone again but prices are back, still at "from 12/11 to 6/11 a pair".

August-September 1961

The next advert is very different, but then it is for Christmas. It shows what I assume are packets rather than stockings, and "the aristocrat of stockings" is back. The lowest price has dropped to 5/11, and the reference to pairs has gone.

December-January 1961-2

After this, there is such a long gap that I assumed Aristoc had stopped advertising in the pattern book. But eventually I found this. No longer on the inside back cover, and back to black and white, at first glance it doesn't even look like a stocking advert. It's back to the younger feel, with the slogan "part of your make-up". Possibly there was a tie-in with Elizabeth Arden? The white script on black is now part of the lily of the valley logo, with the main reference being black script on white. There are no price details, and the "aristocrat" reference is part of the copy.

April-May 1964

The next advert is similar, but the tagline is back, the lowest price has dropped even further to 4/11, and the slogan has changed slightly to "Part of your Fashion make-up". Possibly the “girls in pearls” reference is again pointing to the idea that this is a high-end product? 

October-November 1964

Elizabeth Arden is replaced by Susan Small in an advert which actually shows stockings. The tagline and white-on-black logo have both gone, but the slogan “part of your fashion make-up” remains. The price range has increased, "from 4/11 to 15/11" - 59 to 191 old pence.

Winter 1965-6

Sadly that seems to have been the end of Aristoc's presence in the pattern book. I looked through issues all the way to 1970, but there were no more adverts. Which is a pity - they took so many different approaches over 14 years that I would have liked to see where they went next.