Sitting backwards in a chair has been a symbol of someone being "cool" (to the point where someone doing it is now a parody of being cool) I know this extends at least 20 years ago, because it appears to have been in a thing in the music video of "Gangster's Paradise" from 1995. Does anyone know the first instance of this with the implication that this was "cool"?
Note: I searched and this has been asked before, but there were no answers.
I thought we did this before but could not find a thread for it. The pose stems from a famous photograph of British "party girl" Christine Keeler taken during the Profumo scandal in 1963.
The Profumo Scandal
Keeler was a barely educated girl born in 1942 who ran away from home at age 15, wanted to be a model, did menial and sex work, and came under the sway of London socialite Stephen Ward. Ward introduced her to both John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War, and Captain Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet naval attache. Had Keeler obtained valuable intelligence information from Profumo and passed it on to the Soviet naval attaché? It seemed possible.
Rumors spread. In the House of Commons, Profumo was asked point blank whether he knew of an affair that Keeler was having with a minister of the government and he denied knowledge of any such affair. Of course he was the minister referred to in the question. Profumo lied, denied the affair, and threatened to sue for slander. Soon proof was submitted showing that he lied. Humilated, Profumo resigned in disgrace because he had lied to the House of Commons.
The Photograph
At the height of the scandal in 1963 a movie was planned. A promotional photo shoot was set up. Keeler had posed with a black chair once before the scandal. A similar chair was obtained. Photographer Lewis Morley recalls:
"'This photograph was one of a series of publicity shots for an intended film which never saw the light of day. It was not until 1989 that a film of the 1963 happenings was released under the title Scandal. The photographic session took place in my studio, which at that time was on the first floor of the 'Establishment', a satirical night club ... "
"During the session, three rolls of 120 film were shot. The first two rolls had Christine sitting in various positions on the chair and on the floor, dressed in a small leather jerkin. It was at this point that the film producers who were in attendance demanded she strip for some nude photos.
"'Christine was reluctant to do so, but the producers insisted, saying that it was written in her contract. The situation became rather tense and reached an impasse. I suggested that everyone, including my assistant leave the studio. I turned my back to Christine, telling her to disrobe, sit back to front on the chair. She was now nude, fulfilling the conditions of the contract, but was at the same time hidden ... it was the last exposure on the roll of film."
The Chair
To avoid copyright problems, the photographer bought a knock-off of the chair used in the early photos. The photo, the pose, and the chair became instantly famous. Many museums wanted to acquire The Chair and the Victor and Albert Museum got it. It is inscribed on the bottom with the names of a few of the many famous people who have sat in it including Sir David Frost, Joe Orton and Dame Edna Everage.
The Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibit
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/christine-keeler-photograph-a-modern-icon/
The Famous Photograph
The Famous Pose as a movie poster for Scandal in 1989