V&A: Mary Quant Exhibition
Heeyyyy..
I hope you're enjoying me being more active and updating my blog more regularly. I know I am.
SO. This article has been brewing a longgg time now, over a month.. I know, terrible! I made sure I took lots of photos to jog my memory of the exhibition. This weekend I just visited the Dior exhibition, which is a separate post which will be coming soon.
Prior to the Dior exhibition, I visited the Mary Quant exhibition, at the V&A museum with the FRA (for free, love that, but tickets are also only £12 so you should definitely head up there if you're free and a fashion enthusiast). The exhibition is open until the 16th February 2020 so you have plenty of time.
Prices are still expensive however Quant appeals to both duchesses and typists consumers, as more young girls are starting to attend college and earn a living.
Women's magazines promote Quant's unconventional look to an increased audience and tabloid newspaper deem her as 'mad'.
PVC raincoats.
She then signs a deal with Puritan Fashions, resulting in a 'Youthquake' marketing extravaganza of 1965. She tours the US with British band, The Skunks and a group of young models. American teenagers snap up the brand as they fall in love with British pop music, slang and humour.
Mary Quant writes her autobiography in 1966 titled Quant by Quant. Her autobiography tells her story from the beginning to her becoming a jet-set designer.
A perk of the job was to buy unique samples from the workroom.
SO. This article has been brewing a longgg time now, over a month.. I know, terrible! I made sure I took lots of photos to jog my memory of the exhibition. This weekend I just visited the Dior exhibition, which is a separate post which will be coming soon.
Prior to the Dior exhibition, I visited the Mary Quant exhibition, at the V&A museum with the FRA (for free, love that, but tickets are also only £12 so you should definitely head up there if you're free and a fashion enthusiast). The exhibition is open until the 16th February 2020 so you have plenty of time.
The Birth of the Boutique
"We knew we had to do things ourselves, or nothing would happen at all"
1955-1964 - Quant becomes business partners with Plunket Greene and McNair as they invest in Quant's fashion sense. She creates a bazaar by sourcing from wholesale warehouses and art schools finding new, cool garments and jewellery.
The shop opened with a party and the stock sold out. Quant then made dresses using fabric bought from Harrods each morning. Her Bazaar turns into a formal shopping experience. She then opened her second boutique opposite Harrods.
Before Bazaar
"London was a bomb site and the only thing that thrived was the buddliea. Fog permeated everything. It was railway stations and Typhoo tea, stockings and suspenders."
1930-1954 - Mary Quant was evacuated during the war, being born in 1930, South-East London. She was bought up rationing clothes. Growing up she wanted to be trained in fashion design, but goes into teaching as her parents insisted.
When she leaves Goldsmiths her first job is trimming high class hats at Erik's. Erik was a couture milliner in Mayfair.
Death of the Debutante
"Snobbery has gone out of fashion."1960-1962 - Quant's boutique becomes a prime destination for women seeking modern fashion due to the high demand of her bazaar with editors visiting as well as jazzy fashion shows and intriguing window displays (visual merchandising).
Prices are still expensive however Quant appeals to both duchesses and typists consumers, as more young girls are starting to attend college and earn a living.
Women's magazines promote Quant's unconventional look to an increased audience and tabloid newspaper deem her as 'mad'.
Ginger Group
"Quant clothes at budget prices to buy a piece at a time"
1963-1965 - Ginger Collection was derived from a pressure group, with the verb Ginger meaning to pep things up. Her aim was to change the direction of fashion by producing fun clothing, gaining a winder consumer.
The first collection was created by the inspiration of American sportswear principle of interchangeable separates. These collections were promoted through a high-energy fashion show. The colour palettes included 'putty', 'prune' and 'ginger'.
The collection was available in 75 outlets across the UK, with a lower price point and many mix-and-match possibilities.
Working Wardrobes
"Fashion is a tool to compete in life outside of home."1960-1963 - The three original business partners bring different strengths to the business, Quant with her design, Greene with the marketing techniques and McNair's financial flair.
Into The Big Time
"Chelsea ceased to be a small part of London; it became international; its name interpreted a way. of living and a way of dressing."1960-1965 - Quant and Greene fly to New York, and her celebrity status is increased due to British Newspapers and American Journalists. She pitches clothes to US buyers as well as meeting editors and touring the garment district. Her designs are displayed in New York store windows. By 1965 she was regularly commuting between London and New York.
The Wet Collection
"Bewitched... with this super shiny man-made stuff and its shrieking colours... its gleaming liquorice black, white and ginger"1963-1965 - Quant launched the wet collection in April 1963 in Paris. It featured a new material (PVC). The show was attended by many influential fashion editors and Quant achieved her first magazine cover for British Vogue. Due to complications with mass producing garments in PVC, it takes 2 years for Quant to create a collaboration with Alligator Rainwear to create a viable range of
PVC raincoats.
Quant Customers
"A fashionable woman wears clothes; the clothes don't wear her."1961-1964 - Her daring style attracts a loyal clientele. Her clothes are worn by individuals of wide ranges of backgrounds and professions.
The Tattersall Check Dress
"Quant gets that boyish look." Daily Mail, 19641964-1965 - Quant was one of the first to let her change her 'swinging bob' into a 'five point' style, which was reproduced in magazines and creating an iconic image.
The British Fashion Invasion
"Hey Luv! Mary's Here." JC Penney advertisement, 19691960-1967 - Quant designs a 'Chelsea Girl' line after meeting Paul Young, an executive from US chain-store JC Penney. It is launched at Washington DC in September 1962. Soon after her garments are available to order by mail.
She then signs a deal with Puritan Fashions, resulting in a 'Youthquake' marketing extravaganza of 1965. She tours the US with British band, The Skunks and a group of young models. American teenagers snap up the brand as they fall in love with British pop music, slang and humour.
Going Global
"Fashion is not frivolous; it is part of being alive today."1965-1975 - In 1966 Quant trademarks the daisy emblem, communicating her brands youthful spirit. For a fee and percentage of sales, Quant let licenses to use her name, logo and image for marketing campaigns worldwide.
Mary Quant writes her autobiography in 1966 titled Quant by Quant. Her autobiography tells her story from the beginning to her becoming a jet-set designer.
Alligator Rainwear
"Since when did raincoats go wild? Since Mary Quant designed for Alligator."1965-1967 - As explained earlier in the post, Quant paired up with outwear producer 'Alligator'. Prior to collaborating with Mary Quant they produced raincoats in black, brown and beige. Quant gave the brand a new lease of life. She also pushes Alligator to try and use innovative synthetic materials like nylon to produce more intriguing looks.
Underwear
"Foundation garments needn't be surgical. Get a birthday suit and be your own sweet self (minus six pounds)."1965-1967 - Her garments use lycra for comfortable yet barley-visible support. Quant requires a new type of underwear due to her silhouette dresses, corsets with metal boning and clasps are not fit for the garments. She partnered with Weingarten Brothers and their 'Youthlines', creating a 'Q-Form' underwear collection.
Cute Dolls around the exhibition
Liberated Fashion
"I didn't have time to wait for women's lib."1965-1975 - By working hard, taking risks and speaking out, Quant has a visionary take on women's rights. Her designs from late 60's to early 70's challenged stereotypes, and herself wore casual versions of masculine tailoring.
Working Wardrobes
"Mary Quant... blasted an opening in the wall of tradition through which other young talents have poured." Ernestine Carter, 19731968-1973 - Quant still operated from a tiny head office in Chelsea, designing not only for her own label but for the Ginger Group as well at this point and creating products under license. In 1969 she closed her Bazaar shops to focus on her license project and she employs graduates from London's design schools.
A perk of the job was to buy unique samples from the workroom.
Style Evolution
"Switching to the sounds of the seventies."1966-1975 - Quant's style becomes electric and retrospective due to the economic and political uncertainties. She launches a range of platform shoes to complete her outfits, playing around with new synthetics. She uses Victorian details with bright colours to have a fun and modern play on fashion. The Ginger Group label closes in 1975 due to UK manufacturing changes, but Quant's designs continue to sell through in boutiques and department stores.
Fashion for everyone
"Fashion, as we knew it, is over; people wear now exactly what they feel like wearing."By the late 1970's Quant was working closely in Japan, publishing books on cosmetics, opening up colour shops as well as designing a special edition mini car. She receives many awards including a Dame of the British Empire medial in 2015.
Home Dressmaking
"Mary Quant home patterns come to town!"1964-1974 - Home dressmakers make their own Mary Quant designs when she signs a deal with Butterick. Ten years prior to this alliance, Quant adapted Butterick patterns for home-made dresses to fill her rails for her Bazaars.
The Jersey Dress
"I want free-flowing, feminine lines that compliment a women's shape... I want relaxed clothes, suited to the actions of normal life."1966-1967 - A new type of wool jersey is discovered by Mary, available in the brightest and deepest colours. this material was perfect for Quant's minidresses. Machine-knitted Jersey is a revolution in the textile industry. Jersey is seen as loungewear only to be worn indoors whereas Quant created collections using jersey to be worn outside in the streets.
The Miniskirt
"The shock of the knee."1962-1966 - The knee-skimming outfits are first noticed by the media in 1960. Shorter skirts become more popular with teenage dance crazes. By 1966 Many young women are wearing short skirts, and the term miniskirt is widely used. It easily become accepted as part of fashion.
Photo Booth
Finally here is a really cool Photo Booth the V&A museum offered after the exhibition which they emailed us a GIF! Here is me, Kelsey and Tharin :)
I hope you enjoyed my post on the Mary Quant exhibition and have learnt a lot, if you want to see more, have a look on my Instagram @mitchellpreston_ and look at my highlight!
Dior exhibition coming later this week along with other posts! Enjoy xx
Book your tickets for Quant here:
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