V&A Mary Quant Retrospective

MARY QUANT EXHIBITION AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM

From April 2019 the Victoria and Albert Museum in London will honour the designer Mary Quant's forward thinking work from 1955 until 1975 in an upcoming exhibition.

Ensemble of bolero waistcoat and skirt, Mary Quant, about 1964. Museum no. T.34-2013. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The V&A says: 'This will be the first international retrospective on Quant in nearly 50 years, revealing the true stories behind the ‘swinging sixties’ scene, and exploring how Quant democratised fashion, blazing a trail on the British high-street with her unique personal style.'

Three patterned ensembles, Mary Quant, 1964–1971, London. Museum no. T.22-2013,T.498-1993 & PROV.6-2018. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Yesterday the V&A staged a “Quant revival” outside the museum to let the world know about the launch of ticket sales for its retrospective of Mary Quant. The event had models and staff who worked with Mary Quant in the 1960s and 1970s and many of them were wearing her original designs. 

Wool jersey dress, with cream Peter Pan collar and turned back cuffs, Mary Quant, about 1967 UK. Museum no. T.352-1974. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

In June this year the V&A put a call out for people to contact them if they had any rare Mary Quant clothing. They had 800 people respond and some of these will now feature in the retrospective.

Design for a cowl neck minidress with mustard yellow tights by Mary Quant, about 1967, London. Museum no. E.525-1975. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The exhibition, which runs from 6th April 2019, will have more than 120 pieces of clothing plus make-up, drawings, tights, underwear and photographs that belong to Mary Quant. Many of them have never been on public display before.

Yellow ankle boots in Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) lined with cotton jersey, Mary Quant, 1967, London. Museum no. T.591: 1&2-1992. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

London. Tights, Mary Quant, 1960s, UK. Museum no. T.705-1995. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The exhibition Mary Quant runs from 6 April 2019 – 16 February 2020. Tickets are available from the V&A.

To shop the different decades at Lovely's Vintage Emporium click HERE