293 Portobello Road, Notting Hill W10 5TD became famous in the hip mid-60s 'Swinging London' music scene (Yes! as in Austin Powers) as a rival to Carnaby St. as stockists of must-have militaria under the guise of I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet. The story goes that the rails of brightly coloured military tunics and cavalry jackets caught the eye of pop-artist Peter Blake (later Sir Peter) who used them on the iconic Beatles' album cover art collage of Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band of 1967, the summer of love. Mick Jagger and famously Jimi Hendrix  were much photographed wearing hussar jackets with red and gold insignia, epaulettes and trim braid bands. All frequented the shop.

Fast forward to the present and Jaded Life builds on the cultural music-fashion heritage with innovative, bold and arresting designs with signature colourful South African linings as a tribute to Nelson Mandela (see NEWS item below) and strikingly vivid features, unafraid to use gold and silver sleeves on asymmetrical formal jackets. Check out our red stripe black wool military-style pants!