Mary Quant dies — Fashion legend who shocked UK and lived by inspiring motto dead aged 93

British Vogue’s former editor in chief, Alexandra Shulman, has paid tribute to fashion designer Mary Quant on the news of her OBE award. Quant made a significant impact on fashion and women’s liberation with her innovations that included short skirts, low-heeled pumps and reduced dress formality. Shulman described her designs as “a million miles from the kinds of shapes and costumes women were wearing in the 1950s” and said that Quant defined “the way women thought about themselves”. Her simple, sleek designs reflected the social changes of the 1960s, when women began working more and taking the birth control pill.

Quant was one of the first designers to recognise the commercial potential of a make-up brand, and she went on to launch Mary Quant Cosmetics in 1966. The range included innovative lines such as waterproof mascara and cream eyeshadows that were applied using a small brush rather than a powder pad. During the 70s, Quant’s cosmetics business was sold to cosmetics entrepreneur Leonard Lauder of Estée Lauder, but Quant continued to launch various cosmetics ventures throughout her career.

Quant was also known for working in the mass-market with clothing ranges that could be purchased from chain stores such as J.C. Penney in the US and the UK’s Next. In the 1990s, Quant launched a line of home furnishings and textiles, and in 2000 she designed the interiors for the 4-star Minthotel in Lech, Austria.

Quant’s new OBE was presented on 31 December. She commented: “I have been lucky enough to have spent over sixty years doing the thing that I love and if recognition of that is making me happy then I can only be grateful”. The designer has also been honoured with a DBE and awarded Companion of Honour status.



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