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D E FIN IN G A N E W WO M A N & A N E W G E N E R AT I ON
M ARY Q UAN T
Mary Quant is a pivotal designer in fashion history who helped set an example for many
women in an era of new definitions of youth and femininity. Essential ideas such as ease of
movement, affordability, and youthful playfulness that Mary Quant helped to translate for a
generation of women have had a lasting influence even today.
INFLUENCED BY
➜
KEY
● fashion designer
◆ fashion house
■ art movement
❖ cultural influence
●
Claire McCardell
●
Mary Quant identified
with the focus on the
physical activity and the
sense of lightheartedness,
and fluid fit present
in McCardell’s work.
Quintessentially
McCardell (right): readyto-wear, elegant, and
affordable.
André Courreges
The legacy
Part of Quant’s legacy was (arguably)
the mini-skirt. Made in gaberdine,
PVC, or synthetic fabric in bright
paintbox colors (as here, right). This
man-made textile was affordable and
allowed freedom of movement.
■
Although Courreges
and Quant had a bitter
rivalry, there is no doubt
that they would have
had an influence on each
other as they were both
seeking to define a new
approach of dress for
women.
Pop art
Quant admired the
graphic qualities of artists
such as Andy Warhol and
Lichtenstein, as well as
the focus on psychedelic
prints and motifs inspired
by the popularity of
psychotropic drugs.
❖ Pop
culture
Youthquake London was
booming with a new
energy and innovations
based on a youthful
exuberance and unique
style from groups such
as Teddy Boys and then
Mods, all of which were
reflected in the new
sounds of pop music.
❖ Women’s
rights
Domestic roles were
shifting away from
traditional social
structures as young
women rejected ideas
of conformity. Inspired
by this, Quant sought to
provide clothing with a
new focus on youth.
MARY QUANT
British
(1934 London)
➜
Opens store named Bazaar on
King Road, Chelsea London
with husband Alexander
Plunkett Greene and
accountant Archie McNair.
Initial success with white plastic collars that could
be attached to sweaters for a new look. Started
to create own clothing after the attention she
received for her self-created “madhouse pajama”
made for the opening of Bazaar.
Second store
opens in
Knightsbridge due
to popularity of
the Chelsea store.
Sunday Times
International
Fashion Award.
Invents mini skirt (also claimed by Andre
Courreges). Begins to export to the United
States with great success Creates “paintbox” makeup set where all colors were on
one palette.
O.B.E. Award (Order of the British
Empire) Created the wildly popular
hot pants. At the zenith of popularity
hot pants could be worn at formal
occasions under high slit skirts.
British Fashion
Council Hall of
Fame Award.
Resigned from her post
as design director at
Mary Quant Ltd.
CHRONOLOGY
1955
1956
1961
1963
1965
1966
1990
2000
INSPIRED
●
Anna Sui
Sui is similar to Quant
in her interest in the
aesthetic symbols of the
1960s along with her
affiliations to a young
trendy customer.
●
Betsey Johnson
Johnson adopted Mary
Quant’s playfulness
and focus on youth
while never forgetting
affordability. Her shop
and design headquarters
in SoHo in NYC also
bears a great deal of
resemblance to Quant’s.
●
Emma Cook
Cook has shown a
number of pieces that
are a clear homage to
Quant in graphic color
blocking and short A-line
mini dresses.
Mary Quant helped to define what it means to be a woman
in one of the crucial philosophical and social shifts of the
twentieth century. In 1955, a young Quant did not feel that
the selection of clothing being offered to women her age was
acceptable. Not only was it not affordable, it did not allow for
the range of activity and comfort that she herself required.
Mary Quant is quoted in her autobiography: “The young were
tired of wearing essentially the same thing as their mothers.”
Her answer was to open a store with her husband Alexander
Plunkett Green, called Bazaar, decorated with brightly colored
Pop-Art references that quickly attracted young women.
IN TUNE WITH THE TIMES
Mary Quant started designing the clothing for Bazaar, with
no formal training, after discovering that there were no other
designers that shared her newly found focus: “We were in
●
Mui Mui /Prada
Mary Quant is quoted
as saying “Vulgarity
is the life-blood of
fashion,” a philosophy
not far from Muiccia
Prada’s as she seeks to
explore ideal beauty
with clean and cuttingedge designs (right).
at the beginning of a tremendous renaissance in fashion. The
clothes I made happened to fit in exactly with the teenage
trend, with pop records and espresso bars and jazz clubs.”
MINI-SKIRTS AND GO-GO BOOTS
Mary Quant and André Courreges disagree on who first
developed that iconic symbol of the 1960s, the mini-skirt
however, the primary difference between the two designers
was price point, as Quant continuously strove to keep her
prices within the range of the average “shop girl.” Mary Quant
developed the white plastic, calf-length go-go boot and little
plastic collars that could be worn with a variety of sweaters
or dresses that would brighten and change the look of any
garment. She used bright optic prints, balloon skirts with built
in pants resembling short pantaloons, and pinafore dresses
in bright colors. Her colorfully patterned opaque tights were
●
Diane Von
Furstenburg
This designer has many
dresses that utilize
graphic black and white
color blocking as well
as short mini dresses.
She is best known for
her knitted jersey wrap
dress (right).
quintessential for the new youthful look as well as shoes and
boots with a low, flat heel. Mary Quant herself modeled the
archetypal 60s Vidal Sassoon bowl cut which quickly became
synonymous with her clothing. In 1961 she opened a second
store in Knightsbridge and decided to go wholesale to keep
prices down. By 1963 Quant was exporting to the United
States where she was an instant sensation, and to keep up with
demand she began producing clothing mass market under the
label of Ginger Group. Mary Quant was a pivotal influence
to all female designers as an entrepreneur and an essential
creator of the Youthquake Movement.
An homage
Emma Cook’s playfulness (see
right) and use of strong graphic
color blocking echo Mary Quant’s
design palette.
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