Retro TV W/C 1st February 2008
Barry Murphy returns once more trawl the TV and radio guides (so you don't have to) to find anything worth tuning into this week. All listings are for UK terrestrial TV, Freeview and national radio, with the shows running from Friday 1st February to Thursday 7th February.
Highlights of the week
Everybody's favourite un-pc PC is back on our screens on Thursday 7th Feb, when beer swilling, spaghetti hoop-munching hardman DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) returns in Ashes to Ashes, the sequel to Life on Mars. This time the action is set in London in 1981, and joining Gene and his faithful sidekicks Ray Carling (Dean Andrews) and Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster) is DCI Alex Drake (Keely Hawkes) a female detective from the 21st Century who is stuck in the past after an accident.
In other highlights, BBC 4 devote a night of programming to jazz pianist Oscar Peterson on Friday 1st, and on Monday 4th broadcasts two shows of interest to any sartorially minded modernist - Ready to Wear - a look at how the suit has changed from the sixties to the eighties, followed by Saville Row, the first in a 3 part series, looking the tailoring houses of Mayfair's famous street.



Artist Aaron Foster specialises in found art, that is reusing old things in a new context. His chosen medium is discarded license plates, which he uses to create some amazing pieces of art.
No one needs telling how much the Biba brand is synonymous with the swinging 60s, so it's hardly surprising the brand's relaunch was met with whoops and cheers.
Last weekend I fell in love with the idea of a vintage hat complete with netting, after seeing one atop a very pretty young lady's head. A classic Hollywood look, a hat complete with netting isn't easy to come by but it is very stylish indeed.
There's nothing more iconic about Twiggy's famous 60s look than her amazing eyes. She's most certainly got a great pair of peepers, but its those 'lashes that make the statement.
One of my pet peeves is mis-use of the word vintage - surely its meaning is pretty clearly removed from the word retro? Well, Urban Outfitters have me cursing their blatant misrepresentation by 'naming' one of their new bags Vintage.
While you probably aren’t spending much time in the garden at the moment (not if you are reading this in the Northern Hemisphere anyway), spare a thought for those who have no choice but to brave the cold – the birds.
The subtitle of this musical biography sums up its story neatly. “Eye Mind – The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Pioneers of Psychedelic Sound” by Paul Drummond offers insight into the history of this important band. 



Mary Janes of all shapes and sizes have been all over the place of late. It might be bordering on overkill, but there's a retro gem or two sitting amongst the achingly fashionable.

London's PYMCA Gallery is celebrating 30 years of club and street culture with Hartnett – 76 < Now, a celebration of the photography of Paul Hartnett.

Upmarket department store Liberty are now selling Piero Fornasetti’s collection of plates entitled 'Tema e Variazioni'. 

OK, it's not exactly fan weather right now, but when the warm weather does return, you'll be glad you bought an Art Deco-style Rockefeller fan.
Dating back to 1979, but with inspiration going back to the modernist era, it's the Richard Sapper Espresso Coffee Maker.
Lots of places sell cushions decorated with the union jack motif, but these cushions are the first I’ve seen to celebrate this specific bit of English heritage, the cockney tradition of the Pearly King and Queen.
French company ibride makes a range of art deco style trays that are much too pretty to just use as serving platters, so they are being sold with the dual purpose of being suitable to display on your walls as well. 

Looking for something a little different for Valentine's Day? You could share your thoughts with this All You Need Is Love print by Missouri-based designer Douglas Wilson.
Back in
I love the modernist simplicity of the Tommy table lamp from Habitat.
More classic denim from the Levi's archive, this time the Levi's Vintage 1955 sawtooth denim shirt.
Dating back to 1961, but now available as a reissue, is this Vitra La Fonda Armchair by Alexander Girard.
Fans of the psychedelic artwork by the likes of Martin Sharp and Hapshash and the Coloured Coat might like the work of a new designer, Kate Moross. She began designing flyers for clubs and bands but her latest venture, a collection of clothes for Topshop is sure to raise her profile considerably.
A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Erika Wakerly specialises in surface design for interiors which in laymen’s terms means wallpapers and fabric. Browsing her website, the Spiral Wallpaper caught my attention as it has a retro look to it, especially in the brown on cream or black and white options.
If you're lucky enough to have a holiday in the sun planned to whisk you away from the Great British winter months, then the new swimwear collection from Jasmine Guinness might just be the perfect purchase.