During the 60s and 70s WA surf industry pioneer Len Dibben ran his own Surfboard manufacturing business and did fashion modelling on the side, initially to promote his surfboard business.
WA surfing pioneer the late Dave Williams got Len started in the model industry. Dave couldn’t attend a photo shoot at Rottnest and put Len’s name forward. Len went on to model menswear for city fashion houses (Parker & Co & Walsh’s Menswear), strut the catwalk at fashion parades held at the Royal Show and feature in a television commercial for Karri Smoked Bacon.
Len also got champion board paddler Dave Ellis and other mates from the Warrain Surfboard Club into modelling with him at Boans Department store in Summer & Winter Catwalk modelling jobs.
Image. 1968-9 Len’s new Surf Shoppe built on the side of an old church at North Fremantle. Len Dibben pic.
In 1972 surf photographer Ric Chan did a fashion shoot with Len Dibben in the South West.
Len Dibben: The SW photo shoot was a job for me with the Independent Newspaper. Ric worked part-time as a photojournalist for the Newspaper at the time. I remember the names of two of the three young guys in Injidup Point sand drift photo shoot, they were Rod White and Gordon Allen. Gordon remembers the photo shoot, but not the tall dark head chap, he said they were all strangers to him on the trip Down South.
I can’t remember if Ric was on another job, but he also took photos of me under melaleuca trees in the beach car park at Cowaramup Bay.
I don’t think Ric’s photo shoot images were used in the media.
Good memories.
Image: 1972 Photo journo Ric Chan with camera at Yallingup.
These are some of Ric’s images from Len’s SW fashion shoots…
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
L-R Unidentified, Len Dibben (Hawaiian shirt), Rod White and Gordon Allen (blonde hair on ground).
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Cowaramup photo shoot with Len modelling O’Neill short john wettie, straw boater hat, sandals. He is holding a Len Dibben Surfboard and his VW Kombi is parked in the background.
WA Surf Industry pioneer Len Dibben (age 81) is now retired and lives with his wife Wendy in Booragoon.
Thanks Len and Ric for sharing your SW photo shoot images.
During the 60s and 70s WA surf industry pioneer Len Dibben ran his own Surfboard manufacturing business and did fashion modelling on the side, initially to promote his surfboard business.
WA surfing pioneer the late Dave Williams got Len started in the model industry. Dave couldn’t attend a photo shoot at Rottnest and put Len’s name forward. Len went on to model menswear for city fashion houses (Parker & Co & Walsh’s Menswear), strut the catwalk at fashion parades held at the Royal Show and feature in a television commercial for Karri Smoked Bacon.
Len also got champion board paddler Dave Ellis and other mates from the Warrain Surfboard Club into modelling with him at Boans Department store in Summer & Winter Catwalk modelling jobs.
Image. 1968-9 Len’s new Surf Shoppe built on the side of an old church at North Fremantle. Len Dibben pic.
In 1972 surf photographer Ric Chan did a fashion shoot with Len Dibben in the South West.
Len Dibben: The SW photo shoot was a job for me with the Independent Newspaper. Ric worked part-time as a photojournalist for the Newspaper at the time. I remember the names of two of the three young guys in Injidup Point sand drift photo shoot, they were Rod White and Gordon Allen. Gordon remembers the photo shoot, but not the tall dark head chap, he said they were all strangers to him on the trip Down South.
I can’t remember if Ric was on another job, but he also took photos of me under melaleuca trees in the beach car park at Cowaramup Bay.
I don’t think Ric’s photo shoot images were used in the media.
Good memories.
Image: 1972 Photo journo Ric Chan with camera at Yallingup.
These are some of Ric’s images from Len’s SW fashion shoots…
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
L-R Unidentified, Len Dibben (Hawaiian shirt), Rod White and Gordon Allen (blonde hair on ground).
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Injidup Point photo shoot with Len and the boys.
Image: 1972 Cowaramup photo shoot with Len modelling O’Neill short john wettie, straw boater hat, sandals. He is holding a Len Dibben Surfboard and his VW Kombi is parked in the background.
WA Surf Industry pioneer Len Dibben (age 81) is now retired and lives with his wife Wendy in Booragoon.
Thanks Len and Ric for sharing your SW photo shoot images.
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