Mary Quant Quotes

Powerful Mary Quant for Daily Growth

About Mary Quant

Mary Quant (1935-2020) was a groundbreaking British fashion designer, iconic symbol of the Swinging Sixties, and pioneer of the youth revolution in fashion. Born on February 11, 1935, in London, England, Quant's passion for art and design manifested early. She attended Goldsmiths College, where she studied sculpture but soon found her true calling in fashion after discovering a love for creating clothes. In 1955, she opened her first boutique, Bazaar, on the King's Road in Chelsea. The shop quickly gained popularity among young women who sought affordable and stylish clothing that mirrored the latest trends. Quant introduced revolutionary designs such as the mini-skirt, rainbow tights, and the hair helmet, which became symbols of youthful rebellion and self-expression. Quant's work was heavily influenced by art movements like Pop Art, as well as traditional British culture. She collaborated with artists such as Peter Blake, Pauline Boty, and Allen Jones to create iconic print designs for her garments. In 1958, she launched the Mary Quant cosmetics line, which offered affordable makeup to young women nationwide. Throughout her career, Quant received numerous accolades, including an OBE in 1966 and a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015. She was also inducted into the Fashion Hall of Fame in 1971. Mary Quant's legacy continues to influence fashion today, with her designs remaining iconic symbols of a pivotal era in fashion history that celebrated youth, creativity, and self-expression.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Fashion is a form of self-expression."

The quote by Mary Quant, "Fashion is a form of self-expression," suggests that the clothing we wear reflects our individuality and personality. It's a way for us to express ourselves creatively and uniquely in society. Fashion can be an outlet for personal style, taste, and identity, allowing people to communicate their emotions, values, and beliefs through their attire. Essentially, it's a means of self-expression that transcends language barriers.


"I wanted to create clothes for the way people lived their lives."

Mary Quant's quote reflects her desire to design clothing that aligns with the lifestyles and needs of individuals, rather than forcing people to conform to a specific fashion standard. This approach acknowledges the diversity of human experiences and encourages the expression of personal identity through clothing. It suggests a focus on functionality, practicality, and comfort alongside style and aesthetic appeal. In essence, she sought to bridge the gap between fashion and everyday life.


"Clothes are like a kind of wrong music. When you put them on, you're expressing something that doesn't necessarily need words."

In this quote, Mary Quant suggests that clothes can serve as a non-verbal form of self-expression. Just as music expresses emotions without the use of words, clothing choices reflect an individual's personality, mood, or identity, allowing them to convey feelings, thoughts, or messages that might be difficult or impossible to articulate verbally. Essentially, the choice and style of one's attire can function as a powerful means of communication, serving as a personal testament to who we are and what we stand for.


"Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It's not about brands. It's about something deeper within yourself that is individual."

Mary Quant's quote suggests that fashion transcends superficial elements like brand names or labels. Instead, it originates from an individual's unique identity or personality. Essentially, her words emphasize the importance of personal expression in fashion and encourage people to embrace their personal style rather than simply following trends set by brands or designers.


"I wanted to make clothes that would bring a smile to people's faces, clothes that you could have fun in."

Mary Quant aimed to create clothing designs that evoke joy and allow for personal expression, fostering an environment of fun and enjoyment for the wearer.


I absolutely adore cows. They're the most fascinating, gentle and beautiful animals. Their eyes are so amazing. I have ten that live on the land around my house. I love to talk to them. There are few things better than falling asleep in a field and being woken up by an inquisitive cow.

- Mary Quant

Love, Eyes, Cow, Cows

I remember one day, when things were going frightfully well, I went to buy myself a really smashing car. I asked them to show me a Porsche with an automatic gearbox, and the salesman called over all the other salesmen, and they stood around absolutely roaring with laughter.

- Mary Quant

I Remember, Other, Porsche, Asked

My favourite Nice restaurant is in the market. It's open mainly for the market people, and shuts in August.

- Mary Quant

Restaurant, Market, August

Only ugliness is obscene.

- Mary Quant

Only, Ugliness, Obscene

As well as being a creative genius, Vidal Sassoon was a formative figure of the Sixties. Along with the Pill and the mini-skirt, his influence was truly liberating.

- Mary Quant

Being, Pill, Figure, Liberating

I still like the King's Road. It is very alive; it is a hustle of things from different countries and so on. It is lovely.

- Mary Quant

Lovely, Very, Still, Different Countries

Fashion is not frivolous. It is a part of being alive today.

- Mary Quant

Today, Alive, Part, Frivolous

Jean Shrimpton was the most beautiful of all the models I have known. To walk down the King's Road, Chelsea, with Shrimpton was like walking through the rye. Strong men just keeled over right and left as she strode up the street.

- Mary Quant

Strong, Through, Chelsea, Jean

I long for my garden to be complete. Working in it is one of my joys, but it will never be finished because it's forever changing with the seasons.

- Mary Quant

Seasons, Will, Finished, Joys

When I opened my first shop, city gents were still carrying tightly furled umbrellas and wearing bowler hats. It was into this world that I launched my new ideas about fashion.

- Mary Quant

City, Bowler, Shop, Tightly

I dressed like Leslie Caron as a teenager: soft school pleats, Peter Pan collars.

- Mary Quant

Dressed, Like, Collars, Pan

I used to start re-arranging my school uniform, hitching up my skirt to be more exciting-looking.

- Mary Quant

School, Uniform, More, Skirt

My garden in England is full of eating-out places, for heat waves, warm September evenings, or lunch on a frosty Christmas morning.

- Mary Quant

Heat, Waves, England, Garden

Most of my memories of the Sixties are ones of optimism, high spirits and confidence.

- Mary Quant

Optimism, High, Most, Sixties

I divide my time between all the mud and open space in Surrey and the social life and work in London, particularly Chelsea, which still has the same village feel that it had in the swinging Sixties.

- Mary Quant

London, Feel, Chelsea, Sixties

Of course, I remember when everybody was thin. It wasn't until I went to America in the Sixties that I saw anyone who wasn't skinny thin.

- Mary Quant

I Remember, Everybody, Saw, Sixties

I designed the miniskirt that caused so much havoc in the Sixties - the miniskirt that was such fun but has travelled well to today.

- Mary Quant

Caused, Travelled, Havoc, Sixties

The Lord's Prayer is the most perfect piece of poetry. I always feel at peace and moved when I recite it.

- Mary Quant

Perfect, Always, Lord, Recite

I don't have birthdays.

- Mary Quant

Birthdays

Fashion is a very ongoing, renewing thing, about change and reaching for the next thing. You are permanently dissatisfied, and it's always got to get better.

- Mary Quant

Next, Always, Very, Dissatisfied

Eating outdoors is a particular passion - that is, eating trestle-table a la nicoise.

- Mary Quant

Eating, Outdoors, Particular, La

As a child, I used to spend nearly all my summer holidays with my aunt in Wales, and we used to catch mackerel in a boat and then cook them on board.

- Mary Quant

Cook, Nearly, Wales, Boat

In America, they never make anything without first having a market survey to ask the public what they want. People only ask for things they already know about, so you don't get anything new that way. That's why American fashion is stuck.

- Mary Quant

American, Why, About, Survey

The fashionable woman wears clothes. The clothes don't wear her.

- Mary Quant

Woman, Her, Wears, Fashionable

The fashionable woman is sexy, witty, and dry-cleaned.

- Mary Quant

Woman, Sexy, Witty, Fashionable

Let me give you an idea of Fifties Britain. The war had ended ten years before, and most people had returned to their gardens and allotments hoping life would revert to how it was before the hostilities.

- Mary Quant

Before, Britain, Gardens, Revert

As the daughter of two teachers with first-class degrees, I'd always seen myself as a duffer by comparison.

- Mary Quant

Teachers, Comparison, Always, First-Class

The miniskirt caused an extraordinarily powerful reaction. There were the people who hated it.

- Mary Quant

Powerful, Reaction, Caused, Extraordinarily

Many of my friends are chefs, and I learnt to cook watching them.

- Mary Quant

Cook, Them, Many, Learnt

In the first half of the 20th century, fashion was simply not a very English thing to do.

- Mary Quant

Very, Century, Half, 20th Century

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