Ballroom blitz

READING the article about velvet and its history (February 9) reminded me of a visit to the Lord John shop on London’s Carnaby Street. I needed something for a party and, being a mod rather than a rocker, I was shown this black velvet three-piece suit with heavy brass buckles. Looking at the invoice of April 1, 1969, I see it cost £219.11—about £3,400 in today’s values!

The salesman told me that it was made for Brian Connolly, the lead singer of glam-rock band The Sweet, but he had gone for something more psychedelic. My son wore the suit a couple of times in his teens, 30 years later, to ‘raves’.

Stephen Pollock-hill, Hertfordshire