Apple Boutique underpants fab for Beatles collector

An unusual item of Beatles memorabilia, a pair of underpants designed by the legendary Apple Boutique in London, is being offered by memorabilia collector and dealer Joseph Robert O’Donnell, and looks set to pull in fans and collectors.

Joseph, known as the Notting Hillbilly and based in Tynemouth in Newcastle, said that the pair of underpants is one of the rarest to surface in recent years and now for sale at £2,000. They are one of the very few surviving garments created by Dutch art collective The Fool for the Beatles’ short-lived retail experiment.

The pants, adorned with a striking Granny Smith apple motif, are a relic from the vibrant but ill-fated Apple Boutique, a psychedelic retail venture launched by the Beatles in 1967 under the Apple Corps umbrella. Located at 94 Baker Street, the shop was conceived as a place where, in Paul McCartney’s words: “beautiful people can buy beautiful things.” Although the plan was to sell a wide array of clothing, furniture, and art, the boutique became primarily a fashion outlet, offering garments and accessories designed by The Fool.

The Fool, comprised of artists Simon Posthuma, Marijke Koeger, and Josje Leeger, were known for their flamboyant, psychedelic designs. They had previously collaborated with the Beatles on several personal projects, including painting George Harrison’s Mini and pianos for both John and Paul. Their vibrant mural on the exterior of the Apple Boutique became an instant landmark, but soon ran afoul of Westminster City Council. With no official permission granted, Apple was ordered to paint over the artwork, a moment George Harrison saw as the beginning of the end for the project.

The boutique officially opened on December 7, 1967 and closed less than a year later, on 31 July 1968, after financial losses of over £200,000. Despite the Beatles’ star power, the shop suffered from shoplifting, disorganisation and generous freebies taken by the band and their circle. On its final day, The Beatles gave away all remaining stock to the public, drawing large crowds and requiring a police presence.

Ringo Starr later described the venture as an opportunity for the band to “dress everyone like us”, while George Harrison lamented the mural’s removal as a symbol of the narrow-mindedness they were trying to challenge. Paul McCartney, in a press release after the closure, emphasised that Apple was intended to focus on fun and creative expression rather than commercial clothing sales.