Mary Quant Biography

Barbara Mary Quant was born on 11 February 1934, in Blackheath, London, to Jack and Mary Quant. Her parents were Welsh teachers, hailing from mining families. They were well educated progressive people who believed that girls should study well and establish themselves professionally.

She grew up during the World War II period and her family often moved from one place to another. Too young at that time to understand the seriousness of the war, she actually enjoyed the adventures it brought, often investigating crashed planes and ransacking the debris.

Her initial schooling was random due to the war. She later on went to the Blackheath High School. Blessed with a creative bent of mind and artistic abilities, she developed a love for sewing at a young age and realized that she had an innate sense of fashion.

Her parents wanted her to choose a stable profession but young Mary was adamant about pursuing a creative career. She managed to win a scholarship to Goldsmiths College and her parents reluctantly allowed her to study illustration. She eventually earned a Diploma in Art Education.

She teamed up with a former classmate Alexander Plunket Greene and a friend Archie McNair to start her own business. They opened a boutique called Bazaar. A creative young woman, she promoted a fun and spunky style of fashion that would appeal to the youngsters.

She was always on the lookout for new, interesting clothes for the boutique and also started designing her own range with time. The business thrived and she married her business partner Alexander.

The best selling items in the boutique were short skirts, funky dresses, bright tights, stretchable leggings and T-shirts. Quant is credited to have popularized the miniskirt, a garment that was one of the defining fashions of the 1960s. A fashionable young lady herself, she wore short skirts which led her clients to demand even shorter skirts which came to be known as miniskirts.

Another garment Quant popularized was the colored and patterned tights worn along with the miniskirt. Some credit her to be the inventor of this garment while others believe she only popularized the creation attributed to the Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga.

Eventually the business became a roaring success and her creations were selling all over the world in countries like the United States, France, Italy, Switzerland, Kenya, Australia, Canada, and South Africa. By this time she had also expanded her brand to include a range of cosmetics and other fashion accessories.

Quant revolutionized the way women dress and in the late 1960s popularized the hot pants—extremely short shorts for women, made in luxury fabrics such as velvet and silk—that were youthful, fun, and sexy at the same time.

Mary Quant was the author of many books including ‘Quant by Quant’ (1966), ‘Colour by Quant’ (1984), ‘Quant on Make-up’ (1986), and ‘Classic Make-up and Beauty Book’ (1999).

Mary Quant was regarded as a high-profile champion of the miniskirt, a very short skirt with a hemline well above the knees. Though it is debated whether or not she is the inventor of the garment, she is credited to have made the miniskirt extremely popular during the 1960s. She also popularized the hot pants, extremely short shorts for women made in luxury fabrics such as velvet and silk.

She met her future husband Alexander Plunket Greene at Goldsmiths College in 1953. They got married in 1957 and had one son. Theirs was a happy marriage that lasted till Alexander’s death in 1990.

She passed away on April 13, 2023. She was 93 years old. 

Mary Quant is credited with popularizing the miniskirt in the 1960s, revolutionizing women's fashion and empowering them to embrace more daring styles.

She was known for her playful and innovative approach to design, incorporating bold colors and geometric shapes into her creations.

Quant was a pioneer in making fashion more accessible to the masses, with her affordable and stylish designs appealing to a wide range of women.

In addition to her impact on fashion, Quant also launched a successful line of cosmetics, further cementing her status as a trailblazing entrepreneur.

Despite her immense success, Mary Quant remained down-to-earth and approachable, often citing the importance of comfort and practicality in her designs.