Mary Quant Vintage Clothing

Find the exact vintage or contemporary piece of mary quant vintage clothing you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Many people prefer Black, but fashion is all about individuality — you can find Gray, Blue and more options on these pages. You’re likely to find the perfect item from our selection of mary quant vintage clothing among the distinctive accessories we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 20th Century. If you’re browsing our inventory for these accessories, you’ll find that many are available today for women, but there are still pieces to choose from for men and unisex.

The price for a piece of mary quant vintage clothing starts at $130 and tops out at $1,650, and on average, selling for $580.

Mary Quant revolutionized the world of women's fashion during the Swinging Sixties. The British designer substantially modernized hemlines, popularizing the miniskirt and essentially introducing hot pants. Quant’s extensive repertoire included a range of garments, some famously modeled by Twiggy. Her liberating and refreshing designs for skirts, blouses, sweaters, knitted jersey dresses and chic stretchy tights challenged the conventions of the day and greatly influenced fashion trends that followed.

Quant was born in London in 1934. She wanted to pursue fashion from a young age, but her parents — both teachers — were unsupportive. She instead studied art and illustration at Goldsmiths College. Quant graduated in 1953, but her interest in fashion persisted, so she headed straight into an apprenticeship at a high-end millinery shop and never looked back.

In the late 1950s, Quant began making her own designs. When her then-boyfriend Alexander Plunket Greene bought a building in Chelsea, London, part of the project was eventually relegated to a boutique named Bazaar. Quant took a few classes at night on tailoring and created clothing that was to be sold out of the space, and her work quickly caught the attention of publications like Harper's Bazaar. Her shirts, modern tunic dresses, and other apparel captured the vitality of the postwar cultural shift occurring at the time. She also cultivated a lively environment in her shop, playing music, serving drinks and staying open for long hours. 

While hemlines had been gradually climbing above the knee before her contributions to the explosion in popularity of the miniskirt took shape — see the late 1950s-era pieces that Yves Saint Laurent designed for Dior or the Space Age dresses of Parisian couturier André Courrèges — Quant played no small role in challenging the conventions of traditional womenswear in the 1960s. She viewed the miniskirt as liberating. In the late 1960s, she also introduced short shorts that anticipated the later popularity of hot pants.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Quant focused more on makeup and household goods. In 1988, she designed the interior of the Mini 1000 car, which was originally called the Mini Quant.

Quant earned a great deal of recognition for her contributions to the fashion industry. In as early as 1963, she was the winner of the first Fashion Museum Dress of the Year award. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1966 and promoted to Dame Commander in 2015. Quant was also awarded the Minerva Medal — the highest honor of the Chartered Society of Designers, of which she was a member.

When the Victoria and Albert Museum held a retrospective devoted to Quant's famous designs from the 1960s and 1970s, Quant was heavily involved in the production of the show.

Find a collection of vintage Mary Quant clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.

Start building your collection of covetable and iconic vintage clothing today — no matter where you roam, there is a curated selection of designer dresses and gowns, sweaters, shirts, dazzling shoes and more on 1stDibs that will keep you covered in the hottest styles from head to toe.

From elegant museum-worthy vintage Chanel dresses and jackets to audacious T-shirts and trousers from provocative punk designer Vivienne Westwood, one thing is abundantly clear: If the clothing for sale on 1stDibs could talk, it would certainly make a statement. 

For fashion lovers, the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers — think John Galliano and Roberto Cavalli — but maybe ‘80s accessories are among your (guilty?) pleasures. 

Playful, boldly colored coats and outerwear from Moschino, Ralph Lauren and other titans of the era can take a simpler ensemble to the next level, while chic and practical suits from the likes of Christian Dior and Balmain endure for haute couture advocates and beyond. 

And vintage is the name of the game on today’s red carpets, too. Celebrity stylists are turning to archival pieces created by the likes of Bob Mackie, Thierry Mugler and Jean-Paul Gaultier as alternatives to new gowns plucked straight off the runway. Wearing such sought-after items gives celebrities instant allure and suggests a personal style that’s not only achingly glamorous but intellectually informed and influenced by a love of craftsmanship. 

Those seeking contemporary luxury looks and in-demand street-style fits can indulge in designs by Bottega Veneta, Miu Miu and Loro Piana, while pieces from Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Versace endure as examples of fashion’s most covetable goods. 

The future — and glamorous past — of fashion is yours for the wearing. Find vintage clothing and accessories for sale on 1stDibs, including designs by Balenciaga, Valentino, Celine, Loewe and more.