The V&A has announced that its next major fashion exhibition, Mary Quant, will mark the first international retrospective of the designer in almost 50 years.
English fashion designer Mary Quant (centre front) at the launch of her ‘Quant Afoot’ range of boots in fashion colours. Photo: Getty Images
Set to launch in April 2019, the upcoming exhibition will feature over 200 objects in a bid to explore how the revolutionary designer influenced London’s Swinging Sixties.
The museum has been given access to Quant’s archive to uncover never-before-seen sketches, photographs and catwalk footage for the retrospective.
But the self-taught designer and curator, Jenny Lister, need help from the public in tracking down early one-of-a-kind designs.
Mary Quant photographed alongside her designs back in 1979. Photo: Getty Images
Using the hashtag #WeWantQuant, Lister issued a call-out: “We want to hear from women who wore Mary’s radical designs and experienced the appeal of the Mary Quant brand at first-hand. To help us tell these incredible stories, we are asking people to check attics, cupboards, as well as family photo albums, for the chance to feature in our exhibition.”
Famed for mini skirts, peter pan collars and colour-blocking tights, Quant’s stand-out aesthetic was influenced by the Mods and the Chelsea Set.
Popularised by the likes of sixties icons, Pattie Boyd and Twiggy, the 88-year-old soon became one of the most influential designers of the decade.
Mary Quant with a gaggle of models wearing her designs back in 1968. Photo: Getty Images
According to the V&A, over seven million women have had at least one her garments hanging in their wardrobe.
Quant – who received an OBE back in 2015 – told The Telegraph: “Friends have been extremely generous in loaning, and in many cases, donating garments and accessories to the V&A which they have lovingly cherished for many years, so it will be fascinating to see what else will emerge!”
“I am enormously grateful to have been involved with so many talented people whose contribution to that ground-breaking, revolutionary and memorable era will also be recognised.”
Tickets for the upcoming exhibition will go on sale in autumn 2018.
For those of you who wish to contribute vintage pieces to the exhibition, make sure to email maryquant@vam.ac.uk or use the Twitter hashtag #WeWantMaryQuant.
From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK
