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Esme Young and Twiggy are among the famous faces who remember fashion designer Dame Mary Quant as a "pioneer" whose designs helped "liberate women." The British fashion designer, widely credited for popularizing the miniskirt, died Thursday morning at the age of 93, her family announced. Fashion designer and TV presenter Young, 74, told the PA news agency: "She designed things for women who wanted to wear them and she was a huge influence on a lot of designers, a huge impact."
He added: "I absolutely believe that she liberated women. She put it out there and we were all influenced by that."
"It was like freedom: 'I can have a miniskirt and I can wear tights any color I want and you can get mad.
“It was about women. And I know some men might say it was sexual, but I don't think so. I think it was a way for women to express themselves and have freedom.
Young also explained the impact Dame Mary had in creating London's King's Road as a hub for fashion and design, telling PA: "She made King's Road a reality. Without her, I don't think this would have happened.
Dame Mary clothing has been popularized by famous faces including model Jean Shrimpton, photographer and model Pattie Boyd, Cilla Black and Twiggy, the latter, real name Dame Lesley Lawson, recalling her as a "brilliant female entrepreneur".
In an Instagram post, Twiggy wrote: “Mary Quant was a huge influence on young women in the late 50's and early 60's. She revolutionized fashion and was a brilliant businesswoman. The 1960s would never have been the same without her. Condolences to your family, RIP dear Lady Mary.
Boyd called Dame Mary "a true icon".
She recalled on Twitter how Dame Mary made her ex-husband George Harrison's wedding coats for her, sharing a picture from the 1966 ceremony showing her and the Beatles star donning the fur coats.
She wrote: "Very sad news today to learn of the passing of the boldly creative, fun-loving and beloved woman of the '60s, Dame Mary Quant.
“Mary insisted on making George's and my wedding coats in 1966; his, the black Mongolian fur and mine, the red fox. A true icon. RIP."
Born in South East London on February 11, 1930, Dame Mary was the daughter of two Welsh schoolteachers.
She graduated in the 1950s with a degree in art education from Goldsmith's College, where she met her husband, Alexander Plunket Greene, who later helped establish her brand. She died in 1990. The designer is survived by her son Orlando, three grandchildren, and her brother Tony. As to.
A statement from the family read: "Dame Mary Quant died peacefully at her home in Surrey, UK this morning.
"Dame Mary, 93, was one of the most internationally recognized fashion designers of the 20th century and a leading innovator of the Swinging Sixties."
Following the news, fellow designer Sir Paul Smith said: "I am very saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Quant, she was a fearless innovator who was constantly modern, ready to surprise and blessed with a business and personal partner, Plunket Greene, who could Help bring your ideas to fruition.
Professor Frances Corner, Director of Goldsmiths at the University of London, added: "Dame Mary was a trailblazer who left an indelible mark on society through her visionary work."
Professor Corner added that she was "one of the original disruptors whose trend-setting work changed the way we think and also the way we dress."
Dame Mary was taken on as an apprentice to a milliner before making her own clothing and in 1955 opened Bazaar, a shop on the King's Road in Chelsea.
His forward-thinking and creative talents quickly established a unique contribution to British fashion.
He was one of the most influential figures on the 1960s fashion scene and is credited with bringing fashion to the masses with his sleek, clean and dynamic designs.
Among her collection, she is arguably best known for designing the miniskirt and contributing to the development of the mod style in the 1960s.
He began experimenting with shorter hems in the late 1950s, culminating in the creation of one of the defining fashions of the following decade.
In 2014, Dame Mary, who named the skirt after her favorite car brand, recalled its "sense of freedom and liberation."
She said: “It was the girls from King's Road who invented the mini. I made clothes that allowed you to run and dance and we made them the length that the client wanted.
"I wore them really short and customers were saying 'shorter, shorter'."
Other styles of the 1960s included Peter Pan collars, as well as knitwear, swimwear, and accessories and clothing made from Butterick patterns.
Dame Mary has also shaken up the high street with women's hot pants and trousers, as well as accessories, tights and makeup, all using the daisy brand design that has become synonymous with her designs.
It broke into the American market in 1962 after an agreement with the American chain of department stores JC Penny for the design of clothing and underwear.
Thereafter, she was inundated with requests for designs from various fields in Britain, Europe and the United States.
In 1964, she launched her own brand of cosmetics. She stepped down as director of the company in 2000 after a Japanese acquisition that quickly produced more than 200 Mary Quant Color stores in Japan.
She was appointed a Dame for Services to British Fashion in the Queen's New Year's List for 2015 and was made a Member of the Order of Companion of Honor in the latest New Year's Honors List.
The Special Award is given to those who have made a significant contribution to the arts, sciences, medicine, or government.
She also received the British Fashion Council's prestigious Hall of Fame award for her contribution to British fashion in 1990.
In 2021, actress and film producer Sadie Frost created a fashion documentary about Dame Mary called Quant.
Contributions to the biopic came from prominent figures in the fashion world such as model Kate Moss, designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, beauty entrepreneur and makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, designer Jasper Conran, and designer Dame Zandra Rhodes.
A Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition documenting the first 20 years of his career from 1955 to 1975 will open at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow next month following an international tour that has included Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Japan. and takes place in London in 2019 and Dundee in 2020.
At the time, Dame Mary said: 'It was wonderfully exciting and despite the frantic hard work we had a blast.
“We didn't necessarily know that what we were creating was innovative, we were too busy savoring every opportunity and taking advantage of the results before rushing to the next challenge! »
Following the news of her death, Jenny Lister, curator of the Dame Mary exhibition at the V&A, said the fashion world "owes a lot to the revolutionary and trailblazing Mary Quant."
In a statement to PA, Lister said: "Dame Mary Quant's contribution to fashion cannot be overstated.
"With her unique sense of humor, style and determination to democratize and share the fun and creativity of her designs, she provided a new type of role model for young women, creating a space for them to be themselves."
Alexandra Shulman, a former editor at British Vogue, called the designer a "visionary."
While in charge of curatorial work at the Design Museum, Priya Khanchandani said: “Known for popularizing miniskirts, shorts and leggings, Mary Quant's playful designs in contrasting colors represent the apotheosis of fashion of the years. 60 and female freedom.
“A creative visionary and retail pioneer who built one of the most enduring businesses of her time, she made her innovative style accessible to many; and today's design owes much to its heritage.
PA wire
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