The Store P400 El Poncho Beret: A Collector’s Guide to a Rare 1960s British Hair Clip
I first spotted a Store P400 El Poncho beret at a car boot sale in Kent. The tag read “El Poncho – Made in England – P400”, and the beret was a deep moss green with a hand-embroidered stem stitch along the brim. Unlike the more common beret clips of the 1960s, which used a simple snap-on metal comb, this one had a felted wool top stitched to a spring-loaded alligator clip. That single piece sent me down a rabbit hole into a small London-based millinery workshop that operated only from 1962 to 1971.
Who Was El Poncho?
El Poncho was not a Spanish export, as the name might suggest, but a boutique label founded by sisters Margaret and Joan Pemberton in a rented studio above a chemist’s shop on Kensington Church Street. The brand name was chosen to evoke a sense of bohemian travel and 1960s continental chic. Their output was small – perhaps 200 pieces per year – and each item was hand-finished. The P400 code appears on their beret clips only; other hair accessories in the El Poncho line used codes in the 300 and 500 series. The workshop closed in 1971 when Margaret Pemberton moved to Australia, making any surviving P400 piece a genuine rarity.
Design and Construction
The Store P400 El Poncho beret is defined by its miniature beret silhouette, typically 7–8 cm in diameter. The crown is cut from a single circle of boiled wool or felted tweed, then gathered at the centre with a small fabric-covered button. A narrow band of grosgrain ribbon is hand-stitched around the base, and the entire beret is sewn onto a nickel-plated alligator clip that measures about 5 cm in length. The clip itself is stamped “EL PONCHO” on the inner spring arm – a key identification mark that fakes and later reproductions lack.
Colour Palette
Based on surviving examples and archive photographs from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s dress collection, the P400 was produced in at least six colours:
- Moss green (as described above)
- Charcoal grey with a subtle herringbone weave
- Brick red – the rarest shade
- Mustard yellow
- Navy blue
- Black (most common, often mistaken for a later high-street product)
The felt was sourced from a now-defunct mill in Huddersfield, which gave the wool a soft yet resilient handle that holds its shape even after decades of storage.
How to Identify a Genuine Store P400
Collectors often confuse the P400 with the earlier Beret Love Hair Clip (code p131) because both use a fabric beret top. However, the differences are clear once you know what to look for:
| Feature | Store P400 El Poncho | Beret Love Hair Clip (p131) |
|---|---|---|
| Clip type | Spring-loaded alligator clip | French-style snap comb |
| Beret attachment | Hand-stitched with visible thread | Glued under a metal plate |
| Brand stamp | “EL PONCHO” on the clip arm | “BERET LOVE” on the comb back |
| Felt origin | Huddersfield mill | Unmarked, likely Italian |
If you are examining a piece at a fair, always check the clip mechanism. The P400’s alligator clip has a distinct rounded jaw and a small rivet at the hinge. A genuine example will also have a faint paper tag tied with a thin cotton string – the tag reads “Store P400” and “El Poncho” in a serif font. Many surviving pieces have lost this tag, but the clip stamp remains the definitive proof.
Styling the P400 with a Modern Wardrobe
The compact size and neutral colour options of the El Poncho beret make it surprisingly versatile. Because the clip is strong enough to hold thick hair but gentle enough not to snag, you can use it as a side-swept accent or to secure a low ponytail. For a 2025 interpretation, try pairing a charcoal P400 with a cream silk scarf and a tailored blazer – the beret adds a tactile, handmade note that balances the clean lines. If you own the brick red shade, wear it with a simple white T-shirt and dark denim to let the colour sing. Avoid competing with other textured accessories; the felt demands its own space.
Care and Preservation
Felted wool is durable but sensitive to moisture and pressure. To keep your P400 in collector condition:
- Store it flat in a acid-free tissue-lined box, never hanging by the clip (the spring can distort).
- If the felt becomes dusty, gently brush with a soft baby-hair toothbrush in one direction. Do not use water or steam – the wool can shrink.
- Check the clip spring every year: if it feels loose, a jeweller can replace the rivet without damaging the beret.
- Keep away from direct sunlight, which fades the organic dyes used in the 1960s.
One restorer I spoke to recommends applying a tiny drop of sewing machine oil to the clip hinge every five years – but only if you intend to wear the piece regularly. For display-only specimens, leave the mechanism dry.
Where the P400 Sits in British Hair Accessory History
The El Poncho beret belongs to a brief period when small independent makers experimented with millinery techniques for everyday hair clips. Unlike mass-produced plastic barrettes from the same era, the P400 was conceived as a miniature hat. It reflects the 1960s fascination with hat-as-accessory even as women were abandoning full headwear. The Store P138 Beret Clip, which used a spotted fabric, followed a similar philosophy but with a different target customer – the P138 was sold through department stores, while El Poncho relied on boutique and mail-order sales. The P400’s limited production run means it rarely appears on the market; when it does, prices at auction have ranged from £45 to £120 depending on colour and tag condition.
For the dedicated collector, the hunt itself is part of the reward. Check vintage fairs in the Home Counties, especially those with a dedicated haberdashery stall. And if you spot a moss green felt circle with a metal clip, turn it over – the “EL PONCHO” stamp may be waiting to tell its story.