Ahead of their first major fashion exhibition, Mary Quant, which opened on Thursday 27 August, V&A Dundee launched their first fashion shoot (taken before the museum temporarily closed) with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee.
V&A Dundee have recreated an iconic photograph of fashion designer Mary Quant taken in 1966, by presenting 5 emerging designers with an opportunity to work together earlier this year. This was part of a project titled 21st Century Quant, examining Mary Quant’s design legacy.
Lucy Carrie, Emer Dobson, Sandra Junele, Humaira Khan and Jane Neave; all third year Textile Design students, were each asked to create textiles inspired by Quant’s 1960s rebellion, but that also responded to the big issues facing today’s fashion world. Detailed research and experimentation led them to explore urgent themes such as climate change, consumerism, and racism. The textiles that they each created in response to this, were transformed into four dresses made to the exact specification of an original Mary Quant Butterick dressmaking pattern.
The knitted cape designed by Sandra Junele was inspired by Quant’s famous Alligator cape and references the importance of repurposing clothing waste as a way to tackle problems caused by fast fashion and over-consumption. Emer Dobson created a repeat pattern using the outline of non-recyclable packaging to highlight the problem of sustainability and the issue of hidden waste. Emer said: “Every time I had an idea I thought, ‘What would Mary do?’ I think she’d be annoyed by all of this. I think she would want sustainability.”
Lucy Carrie created a design inspired by youth and rebellion, with a particular focus on climate protests, while pharmacist turned textile designer Humaira Khan leveraged her scientific knowledge to create her dyes from scratch.
Jane Neave’s acid-bright design is inspired by Quant’s fashion statements which challenged gender stereotypes. Jane said: “I really considered how Mary Quant looked, how she wore suits even though it wasn’t really done then. She designed with women, and what women wanted, in mind.”
Each of their designs were photographed by Aleksandra Modrzjewska and worn by models on location at V&A Dundee, with styling by Kristen Neillie, hair by Kay McIntyre and make up by Jill Syme. You can read more about each individual design here and see their unique designs in person at V&A Dundee, displayed alongside their exhibition Mary Quant.
This exhibition will be the first international retrospective on this influential British designer, who started a fashion revolution that a whole generation wanted to take part in. Quant changed the fashion system, overturning the dominance of Paris couturiers, and transformed young women like her into the new leaders of style. She disrupted the fashion establishment, connecting with an energised, youthful audience looking for something fresh and fun, making this 21st Century Quant project with some of Dundee’s emerging textile designers, even more impactful.
Sophie McKinlay, Director of Programme at V&A Dundee said:
“Mary Quant started out as a young art student, going on to become one of Britain’s best-known designers with a unique vision to use fashion as a way to communicate new attitudes and ideas. All of us at V&A Dundee have enjoyed taking a fresh look at Mary Quant’s legacy through the lens of these five young designers as they embark on their own design careers. We are delighted to celebrate Mary Quant opening at V&A Dundee with this inspiring and unique collaboration.”
