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In Britain, we like to think of ourselves as a reliable, traditional and rather unfashionable nation.
However in reality Britain, and London in particular, has often been a world capital of fashion, design and music. And with a new wave of designers, labels and bands emerging, is Cool Britannia back for good?
The 1960s
During the 1960s, Britain was the one and only place to see and be seen. Huge bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who had taken the world by storm and pushed Britain to the forefront of the international music scene.
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In the world of fashion, British models such as Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton were modelling clothes by British designers, and London was packed full of hipsters and celebrities, with Carnaby Street at the beating heart of the swinging sixties.
The 1990s
Following the recession, unemployment and unrest, Thatcher’s Britain took quite a beating in the ‘cool’ stakes.
However, during the 90s British music started becoming exciting again. Brit pop was once more drawing attention on the world stage, and by 1997 when a young Tony Blair came to power, many people believe that Britain could be cool again.
With the resurrection of British music, fashion soon followed suit, with labels like Lipsy reigniting interest in home grown styles.
Today
With the internet turning national trends international overnight, working out where the capital of cool resides can be much more difficult.
However, London fashion week is an increasingly important indicator of world trends and you only have to take a look down any high street to see that most of the general public has embraced style more than ever before.
The British music scene is as strong as ever, with our vibrant festival culture helping to break new bands and support their growth. And you only have to glance at Hollywood to see how British actors are conquering America.
When it comes to ‘cool’, Britain has still got a thing or two up its sleeve to show the world, so let’s hope Cool Britannia is here to stay.