AT the beginning of 1981 we reported on an emerging force in fashion design.

“Next time you see either Elton John or Cliff Richard on TV, look closely and see if he’s wearing a gorgeous hand-painted shirt.

“If so it might well have been made by up-and-coming young designer Guy Mathiot, who lives in Swindon. “Guy – his name’s pronounced Geey Matheeo – spurned the London fashion scene and works instead from a terraced house in Stanier Street.

“Other pop world big names, including Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, have bought his shirts from the pricey London boutiques where showbiz personalities shop.

“On the female London fashion front, hand-painted silk crepe de chine blouses bearing Guy Mathiot’s label are stocked by Harrods, Barkers of Kensington, Miss Selfridge, Long Tall Sally and some exclusive West End boutiques – at up to £95 each.”

He had also designed clothing for Simpson’s of Piccadilly, the prestigious department store on which Grace Bros in Are You Being Served? was based.

Guy explained his design philosophy for women’s clothing: “I believe in women being women in the fullest sense of the word.

“They should want to look beautiful and move fast – not dress as if they spend all their time washing up.”

He also explained his attachment to Swindon: “Here you can walk down the street and people will say ‘Hello’ to you. Compared to London, it’s paradise.

“I also have great faith in the future of this place.”

We cannot find further mentions of Guy in our archives beyond September of that year, when we revealed he would be exhibiting some of his designs at the London mid-season ready-to-wear show at Kensington Exhibition Centre.

Mentions of him online suggest he branched out in later years into designing other items such as luggage.

Perhaps he’ll read this and get in touch.