The miniskirt creator who rocked the 60s: Remembering Dame Mary Quant's life and legacy at 93
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If you've ever wondered where the iconic 60's trend of mix-and-match clothing and the famous miniskirt came from, you can thank acclaimed fashion designer Dame Mary Quant.
Unfortunately, it is with a heavy heart that we report that Dame Mary passed away earlier this week in Surrey, UK, at the age of 93.
Despite her departure, her exceptional work as a designer will continue to be remembered for many decades.
The trend-setting designer set the fashion world alight with her innovative designs, her iconic look of short skirts, bright colours and chunky accessories revolutionising the way women dressed.
Her clothes were worn by leading ladies of the time like Twiggy and Pattie Boyd and quickly spread around the world.
Her pieces were held in such high regard that her designs influenced 70s and 80s fashion, and she was even compared to the Beatles for the impact she had on the fashion world.
The stylish and innovative designer was born to schoolteacher parents on February 11, 1930 and studied at Goldsmith's College before becoming a hat-maker's apprentice.
Dame Mary then opened her first store, Bazaar, in Chelsea in 1955. The new store filled the market gaps of what young people were looking for – bright, on-trend clothes, plus it left plenty of room to mix and match different designs, offering a wardrobe of endless combinations.
Luxury fashion has undergone several revolutions in the past centuries, but one of the most significant and enduring ones has to be the 'youthquake' of the 1960s that transformed the style landscape forever.
Dame Mary Quant was a pioneer who capitalised on this wave, gaining recognition for her incredibly stylish and playful miniskirts.
While there's been slight dispute over whether she was the true inventor of the style she popularised, there's no disputing the fact that it was Quant who helped the miniskirt become part of the public conversation.
She dubbed them after her favourite make of car, and from her shop in London's King's Road, Quant offered a clothing revolution that gave young people a feeling of freedom.
'It was the girls on King's Road who invented the mini. I was making clothes which would let you run and dance and we would make them the length the customer wanted,' she said.
'I wore them very short and the customers would say, “shorter, shorter”.’
Aside from mastering rebellious and sexy mini skirts, she was also credited with introducing hot pants and micro-minis to the fashion scene in the late 1960s.
However, her exceptional business acumen cemented the style's iconic status and firmly embedded it into the public consciousness.
The store’s success meant that she quickly opened other stores across London and even exported her designs to the US, where they became a massive hit!
Describing the store, she said: ‘Snobbery has gone out of fashion, and in our shops you will find duchesses jostling with typists to buy the same dress.’
Tributes flooded in for the fashion icon, with Former British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman stating that Quant was ‘a visionary who was much more than a great haircut’.
Vanessa Friedman, the International New York Times fashion director, credited Quant with ‘freeing the female leg’.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which showcased a Mary Quant exhibit from 2019-2020, took to Twitter to acknowledge Quant's significant influence on fashion.
The post read: ‘It’s impossible to overstate Quant’s contribution to fashion. She represented the joyful freedom of 1960s fashion and provided a new role model for young women.’
Quant was rewarded for her service to the fashion industry with numerous honours - an Officer of the British Empire in 1966 and a Dame in 2014.
Dame Mary Quant's impact on fashion is undeniable, and her iconic designs persist in the industry.
As we remember her achievements, we invite all our members to cherish those individuals who have left a lasting impression on our world.
May she rest in peace.
Members, have you ever tried on a Mary Quant piece or been inspired by her designs? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments below!
Also, speaking of style inspiration, you might want to check out this article where we share how a 73-year-old is redefining fashion for her age group.
Unfortunately, it is with a heavy heart that we report that Dame Mary passed away earlier this week in Surrey, UK, at the age of 93.
Despite her departure, her exceptional work as a designer will continue to be remembered for many decades.
The trend-setting designer set the fashion world alight with her innovative designs, her iconic look of short skirts, bright colours and chunky accessories revolutionising the way women dressed.
Her clothes were worn by leading ladies of the time like Twiggy and Pattie Boyd and quickly spread around the world.
Her pieces were held in such high regard that her designs influenced 70s and 80s fashion, and she was even compared to the Beatles for the impact she had on the fashion world.
Fashion icon Dame Mary Quant passed away at the age of 93. Credit: Shutterstock.
The stylish and innovative designer was born to schoolteacher parents on February 11, 1930 and studied at Goldsmith's College before becoming a hat-maker's apprentice.
Dame Mary then opened her first store, Bazaar, in Chelsea in 1955. The new store filled the market gaps of what young people were looking for – bright, on-trend clothes, plus it left plenty of room to mix and match different designs, offering a wardrobe of endless combinations.
Luxury fashion has undergone several revolutions in the past centuries, but one of the most significant and enduring ones has to be the 'youthquake' of the 1960s that transformed the style landscape forever.
Dame Mary Quant was a pioneer who capitalised on this wave, gaining recognition for her incredibly stylish and playful miniskirts.
While there's been slight dispute over whether she was the true inventor of the style she popularised, there's no disputing the fact that it was Quant who helped the miniskirt become part of the public conversation.
Quant was credited for popularising mini skirts, hot pants, and micro-minis, clothing items that were deemed rebellious during the 60s. Credit: Shutterstock.
She dubbed them after her favourite make of car, and from her shop in London's King's Road, Quant offered a clothing revolution that gave young people a feeling of freedom.
'It was the girls on King's Road who invented the mini. I was making clothes which would let you run and dance and we would make them the length the customer wanted,' she said.
'I wore them very short and the customers would say, “shorter, shorter”.’
Aside from mastering rebellious and sexy mini skirts, she was also credited with introducing hot pants and micro-minis to the fashion scene in the late 1960s.
However, her exceptional business acumen cemented the style's iconic status and firmly embedded it into the public consciousness.
The store’s success meant that she quickly opened other stores across London and even exported her designs to the US, where they became a massive hit!
Describing the store, she said: ‘Snobbery has gone out of fashion, and in our shops you will find duchesses jostling with typists to buy the same dress.’
Tributes flooded in for the fashion icon, with Former British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman stating that Quant was ‘a visionary who was much more than a great haircut’.
Vanessa Friedman, the International New York Times fashion director, credited Quant with ‘freeing the female leg’.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which showcased a Mary Quant exhibit from 2019-2020, took to Twitter to acknowledge Quant's significant influence on fashion.
The post read: ‘It’s impossible to overstate Quant’s contribution to fashion. She represented the joyful freedom of 1960s fashion and provided a new role model for young women.’
Quant was rewarded for her service to the fashion industry with numerous honours - an Officer of the British Empire in 1966 and a Dame in 2014.
Dame Mary Quant's impact on fashion is undeniable, and her iconic designs persist in the industry.
As we remember her achievements, we invite all our members to cherish those individuals who have left a lasting impression on our world.
May she rest in peace.
Members, have you ever tried on a Mary Quant piece or been inspired by her designs? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments below!
Also, speaking of style inspiration, you might want to check out this article where we share how a 73-year-old is redefining fashion for her age group.
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