Dame Mary Quant, the British legendary fashion designer who popularized the short skirt, has died at the age of 93.

 

Mary Quant, the British designer who popularized the miniskirt, has died at the age of 93. 

According to a statement released by her family to the PA news agency, she "died peacefully at home in Surrey, UK this morning." 

Her family described her as "an internationally recognized fashion designer of the twentieth century and an outstanding innovator of the Swinging Sixties." 

Quant became a poster girl for London's Youthquake in the 1960s. Although she is frequently incorrectly attributed as the originator, she unquestionably made the miniskirt the "it" clothing item for a new generation of young women. With her Vidal Sassoon hair and her fame as the face of Swinging London, she was regularly photographed and was virtually always wearing a mini - notably when she received her OBE in 1966. Quant did more than just wear miniskirts; she also designed them. 

She was at the forefront of the 1960s fashion change that put kids front and center for the first time. Her outfits were bright, colorful, comfortable, and basic, inspired by subcultures such as mods and school uniforms. While her clothing were not inexpensive (a pinafore dress cost six guineas in 1963, the equivalent of little over £100), they were less expensive than those created by designer labels. 

They targeted a new generation of young women with jobs and more money to spend on clothes. In her popular 1966 book Quant by Quant, the designer summed up the decade's new atmosphere, stating that "the young were essentially tired of wearing the same as their mothers."  

"It's impossible to overstate Quant's contribution to fashion," stated a post on the Victoria and Albert Museum's Twitter account, which recently hosted an exhibition about Quant's designs. She embodied the liberating spirit of 1960s fashion and served as a new role model for young women. Her pioneering perspective has had a significant impact on fashion today." 

Former British Vogue editor-in-chief Alexandra Shulman paid tribute to Quant on Twitter, writing, "RIP Dame Mary Quant. A fashion pioneer, but also a pioneer in female enterprise - a visionary who was much more than a fantastic haircut." 

Twiggy, actual name Lesley Lawson, was a 1960s fashion star who stated on Instagram: "Mary Quant was such an influence on young girls in the late 50s and early 60s." She was a great female businesswoman who revolutionized fashion. "Without her, the 1960s would not have been the same." 

Sir Paul Smith, a fellow fashion designer, described her as a "brave innovator who was constantly modern, willing to shock, and blessed with a business and personal partner [Greene] who could help turn her ideas into reality."

Pattie Boyd, a photographer and model, tweeted that Dame Mary sewed her and her first husband, George Harrison, coats when they married in 1966. "A true icon," she added as she uploaded a wedding shot. 

Quant was born in London in 1930 to Welsh teacher parents. Despite having no formal training in design, she began experimenting with clothing at a young age. She started shortening her skirts at school. As inspiration for the mini, she recalls seeing a child in her tap-dancing lesson wearing a short skirt in Quant by Quant. 

She studied illustration at Goldsmiths College in London and worked as an apprentice for milliner Erik of Brook Street. She debuted in the fashion industry in 1955, when she and her husband, Alexander Plunket Greene, launched the Kings Road boutique Bazaar. Crowds formed outside the entrance as the business quickly became a hotspot for the young and fashionable. 

Quant began by designing clothing using standard dressmaking designs. She challenged modern shop traditions by constantly replenishing stock. The day's earnings would cover the cost of the fabric used to create the fresh designs for the next day. While it was not her aim, the consequences may still be observed in fast fashion today. 

Her innovations did not stop with the miniskirt. Quant was also a big fan of tights, especially in vivid and odd colors. Although she did not invent them, the Quant effect ensured that they became popular. By 1973, a Sunday Times piece stated that she was the reason most women wore them. Hotpants, onesies, and PVC raincoats can also be linked back to her work, and she featured models of color, such Donyale Luna, which was unique for the period. 

The pair had a son, Orlando, who has been interested in preserving his mother's legacy. She was married to Plunket Greene until his death in 1990. He unveiled a plaque on the Kings Road building where Bazaar formerly stood during London Fashion Week in 2019. 

Quant is an early example of transforming a fashion label into a brand. In the 1950s, she created her emblem, a black and white daisy, which was later used on clothing packaging. The Ginger Group, a less expensive line, debuted in 1963, along with tights and a successful makeup line. Mary Quant Cosmetics, which she launched in 1966, became her calling card when interest in her garments faded. The cosmetics line is still in business. 

In recent years, the designer has come to the attention of a new generation. The V&A held its first exhibition in 50 years in 2019, with 35 pieces chosen via a public call-out. This was followed in 2021 by Quant, a documentary directed by Sadie Frost and starring Vivienne Westwood, Kate Moss, and Edward Enninful. Her friend Jasper Conran put it best: "Mary Quant is, without a doubt, one of the most important British designers ever." 

By Covenant