As for The Beatles Dress, it originated from Holland and was made in 1964 and would have been a fashion icon of the time. McKenzie recorded his study of the Gorbals over numerous visits between 1964 and 1965. This detail adds to the poignancy of the image—it reflects the mother’s effort to bring joy and a touch of glamour to her child’s life despite difficult circumstances. It also symbolizes the intersection of global pop culture with local, impoverished life in Scotland at the time.
Frank, son of Joseph who manages the McKenzie archive, managed to track down the famous dress and reunite this with his father’s photograph.
These amazing items will be seen at PhotoLondon, opening at Somerset House on the 15th May- 18th May.
Stand W10
Beatle Girl - Glasgow Gorbals Children 1964-65
The famous Beatles dress photograph was taken by Joseph McKenzie, often called the “father of modern Scottish photography.” He is renowned for capturing the gritty realities of post-war urban life in Scotland during the 1960s and 1970s. The image of the young girl in the Gorbals (a Glasgow area), wearing a Beatles dress, stands out as one of his most iconic works.
This photo captures a moment of contrast: a young girl proudly wearing a dress featuring The Beatles—then at the height of their global fame—amid the poverty and urban decay of the Gorbals district in Glasgow. The image highlights both the pervasive reach of pop culture and the resilience of working-class communities during a time of social change.
