The Mother of the Miniskirt
Graphic created by Esther Bhosale, Junior Web Director
Paris Hilton once famously told us that “mini-skirts should be the size of a belt.” While this advice still stands true today, it could not have been said without the legendary designer who started it all. Often referred to as “The Mother of the Mini Skirt”, Mary Quant was a revolutionary designer who brought daring, liberating looks to the market for women. Quant passed away at 93 this past month, leaving behind a legacy that changed the standard of women’s fashion.
Her rebellious designs broke barriers in fashion, giving women a sense of empowerment and independence in their everyday wardrobe. Born in London, England in 1930, Quant studied art education at University and at only 21, opened her first boutique called Bazaar. Located on Kings Road in Chelsea, Bazaar became a meeting spot for the emerging subculture in London called “The Mods”. Short for “modern”, these young adults wanted nothing to do with the London lifestyle of their parents. In a post-war world, they broke gender norms and conservative ideology through their way of dressing and music. Influenced by rock, the psychedelic movement, and the rising popularity of Ska, bands like The Kinks, The Who, and Small Faces became staple records of the mod era.
Quant catered to the refined, sophisticated taste of the mods, while still catering to the rebellious agenda the youth had on their minds. Pairing tunic dresses and bright orange tights, topped off with a pair of gogo boots, the mod uniform allowed young women to feel sexy and edgier in their everyday outfits. One group of Mods was called the “Chelsea Set”. A group of friends, fellow artists, directors, designers, and socialites alike who would hang out at Bazzar with Quant. As the shop got busier and busier, the customer of Chelsea called for hemlines to be shorter and shorter.
While she never claimed to invent the miniskirt, her popularization of the staple piece shocked consumers everywhere. There was no reason women shouldn't be able to go from day to night in their clothing as men were, and Quant provided the perfect uniform to do just that. Her mini dress became the essence of the 60s; it was not only an antithesis of London’s conservative norms but stood as a symbol of the ongoing women's liberation movement.
A self-taught designer, Quant knew she had to be efficient with her money in post-war England. After a day of work at Bazzar, she would take her earnings and purchase fabric for the designs to be put out the next day, always guaranteeing fresh and unique designs every day. Women knew that a trip to Bazarr was none like your typical boutique visit. Loud music, free drinks, and amusing decor made it a great palace to meet some of the most interesting people in Chelsea.
One of her early designs combines a hat, knickerbockers, and a tunic-style shift: shockingly short taking on Victorian undergarments as a form of daywear. Quant often disregarded gender norms and would use men's cardigans as dresses, and white colors to brighten her sweaters. The popularization of short bobs, neutral makeup, and loose dresses often had women mistaken for teenage boys, but that was the point of the mod identity. The androgynous style uprooted the hyper-feminine look of the 50s, all as a way to oppose the conservative attitudes of the generation prior.
Without Quant’s daring hemlines and risk-aye attitude toward design, our clothing today may have never evolved. Continuously understanding the needs of her customer, she knew there was a growing market of eager young buyers to capitalize on. As young women started earning their own disposable income, quant provided the perfect commercial item for women to express their independence. The mini skirt became a symbol of the carefree spirit of the 60s and continues to be an endlessly worn staple piece of clothing today.
