Nothing captures the zeitgeist of the 1960s more suitably than the Italian-made Lambretta scooter.
This 1969 calendar from the classic manufacturer captures the bikes that came to be seen as fashion accessories over modes of transport.
Furthering the sixties vibe, models pose over the bikes, dressed in bikinis and floral prints, exhibiting the feminine confidence borne from the period’s 𝑠e𝑥ual revolution.
Zeitgeist: A calendar for manufacturer Lambretta, who began producing the scooters in 1947
Far from innocent: The calendar included references to Ferdenando Innocenti, Lambretta’s founder
Lambretta, and its main Italian rival Vespa, produced bikes that were both easy to use and accessible, and were pounced upon by younger generations as their primary form of transport.
Scooters were most synonymous with the mod subculture that boomed in London between the 1950s and 60s.
An Italian scooter was often the must-have accessory, along with a sharp, tailored suit and a love of ska and soul, for any would-be mod.
But more important than the scooter’s functionality, was its standing as a fashion symbol.
Youths soon began to customise the bikes, painting on personal logos and designs, and adding on features such as racks, mirrors and lights.
Stylish: The bikes became hugely popular in the 1950s and 1960s, as they were pounced upon by youths as a cheap and stylish method of transport
Mod: The bikes also became synonymous with the UK’s mod movement
Quadrophenia, the classic album by mod high kings The Who, featured a Vespa scooter on its front cover.
The album was later turned into to a film in 1979, loosely based on the album, starring Phil Daniels as lead character Jimmy.
Again, the symbolic scooter took pride of place in the film’s plot, with Jimmy riding a Lambretta Li 150 Series 3.
Takeover: In 1972, state-run Indian company Scooters India Ltd. bought the entire company and moved operations to the country
Despite riding a wave of popularity in the 1960s, Lambretta’s fortunes were to prove short-lived.
In 1972, state-run Indian company Scooters India Ltd. bought the entire company and moved operations to the country.
Production there continued, peaking at in 1980-1981, when 35,000 scooters were built.
But despite their decreasing presence in everyday western life, the Lambretta scooter is still cherished by sixties obsessives, with collectors and scooter clubs around the world.
Collector item: The bikes are still hugely popular among 1960s enthusiasts, with collectors and clubs dotted around the world
Cover: The 1969 calendar’s front cover
Lambretta scooters – taking their name from the Lambro river in Milan – came into production in 1947, a year after Vespa models began to hit the streets.
Lambrettas were manufactured under licence in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India and Spain.
The calendar bears the Lambretta logo with the word ‘Innocenti’ below, a reference to Ferdenando Innocenti, Lambretta’s owner.
Cult: A scene from cult film Quadrophenia, based on the mod subculture, in which Vespa and Lambretta scooters were central