The Fool were a Dutch design collective who were influential in the psychedelic style of art in British popular music at the end of the 1960s. The colourful art draws on many fantastical and mystical themes. The name is a reference to The Fool tarot card

The original members were Dutch artists Simon Posthuma and Marijke Koger who were discovered by photographer Karl Ferris among the hippie community on the Spanish island of Ibiza in 1966. He took photographs of clothes designed by them and sent them to London where they were published in The Times and immediately caused a sensation. Ferris took the Fool back to London and together they opened a studio, with the Dutch artists producing clothes and art and Ferris pursuing photography. Barry Finch and an artist recorded only as Josie joined later.

Their work includes:

• The colourful clothes worn by the Hollies on the cover of their 1966 album Evolution
• The striking cover of the Incredible String Band's classic LP "The 5000 spirits or the layers of the onion." 1967
• The clothes the Beatles wore for the 1967 TV broadcast of "All You Need Is Love"
• A huge 3-storey mural painted in psychedelic colours on the facade of the 1967 Beatles Apple boutique in Baker Street, London. Three months after opening the mural was painted over when the shop failed.
• The bodywork on John Lennon's Rolls Royce car. This outraged one old woman in central London who attacked it with her umbrella, shouting: "You swine, you swine! How dare you do this to a Rolls-Royce!"
• Decoration to John Lennon's piano
• Decoration to John Lennon's Gibson J160E acoustic guitar which he played in the 'All You Need Is Love' short film.
• Decoration to George Harrison's Mini car and bungalow as well as his guitars.
• Decoration to Eric Clapton's legendary Gibson SG guitar and Jack Bruce's Fender VI bass for the 1967 Cream (band) tour of the US.
• Creation of the Wonderwall in the 1968 film of that name by Joe Massot . They also appeared in the party scene in the film.

External links

• History of Simon Posthuma and Marijke Koger's collaboration