Mary Quant is back in Chelsea…for a visit

Mary Quant has returned to Chelsea, the iconic location she established in the public eye half a century ago.

At that time, England was experiencing a cultural revolution… it was an era filled with Twiggy and The Beatles; the beginning of a vibrant new mad, mod world.

And Mary Quant was at the very center of it all. From her boutique named Bazaar on King’s Road, Quant introduced hot pants and the Chelsea Girl aesthetic, contributed to the rise of the mini-skirt, developed the skinny rib sweater, and transformed the makeup industry forever.

She crafted the sorts of sexy, affordable attire her artistic friends desired; short tunic dresses, knickerbockers, flared hipster trousers. Soon, the demand escalated and everyone wanted to wear them — the impact was spectacular.

This remarkable story of the ascent of one of fashion’s greatest innovators is documented in a recently released book.

The renowned designer’s autobiography shares insights into being at the forefront of the youthquake that pulled fashion out from the gloom of post-war austerity to emerge in the bright light of a new pop culture.

The book also highlights the pivotal relationship in Quant’s life… her tumultuous yet joyful marriage to her business partner, Alexander Plunket Greene.

With her designs and APG — as she refers to him in her writing — possessing a unique flair for eccentric marketing strategies that resonated with the times.

He creatively named Quant’s eye shadows Jeepers Peepers, dubbed a line of gel cosmetics Jelly Babies and marketed them in mini baby bottles, conceived Pop Sox, and labeled her new collection of natural-shaped bras as Booby Traps.

Reflecting on these experiences doesn’t inflate the modest Miss Quant’s pride, but leaves her rather astonished.

“Primarily, I think, my goodness, what an extraordinary life you have experienced; you are truly lucky,” she reflects. “I often wonder how you had all this enjoyment.”

Central to her groundbreaking contributions were tights for mini-skirts and waterproof mascara; suddenly, women could cry, swim, and dash for the bus while maintaining their appearance.

The significance of these innovations, both individually and collectively, should not be underestimated.

Some have attained damehoods for far less, yet Quant expresses gratitude for the chances that arose in her life.

“The spirit of that era was truly special. Yes, I put in a great deal of effort, but I adored the work; it was delightful,” she states.

In today’s world, her Bazaar has transformed into yet another coffee shop, serving hot pastries instead of hot pants. It’s rather ironic, considering Mary Quant’s pointed perspective on the ongoing size zero debate in the fashion realm.

“It’s the woman’s bones that make dresses appear spectacular… it’s about the bones, and how they protrude at the right angles. There isn’t a perfect size; in the end, it’s all about the bones,” she explains.

Yet, if you fall within size 14, I suggest, you might not have many bones jutting out at all.

“No. Thus, it’s worthwhile to have them,” she counters. “I clearly recall a time when everyone was slim. It wasn’t until I traveled to America in the Sixties that I encountered anyone who wasn’t very slim. At the conclusion of the war here, everyone was slender, slender, slender.”

For the record, Mary Quant maintains that Chelsea still holds excitement.

“Oh absolutely, I still enjoy the King’s Road. It’s vibrant, bustling with things from various countries and so forth. It’s wonderful,” she remarks.

Miss Quant has made the journey from her home in Surrey for the day. Approaching her 78th birthday next week, she is slightlywas set in his ways and remained unyielding in his decisions, regardless of the consequences.’

Crimped at the edges from an arthritic complaint, she is still easily identifiable.

In the hotel lounge, perched at a corner table, she exudes a small but chic presence in her Breton sweater, pinstriped trousers, and sheepskin boots.

A Quant original, her biker-style studded leather belt features her signature daisy motif hanging from a silver chain. With a light tan, she sports an abundance of smoky-grey eye shadow, embodying her adage that style is timeless.

Reflecting on her look, she has maintained the same hairstyle; an auburn iteration of the symmetrical bob she popularized in the nostalgic days of Swinging London.

Originally styled by Vidal Sassoon, it is now cut in a Vidal Sassoon salon in Chelsea by one of his protégés. Such loyalty is admirable!

“Shall we get some coffee?” Mary seems slightly disheartened. “Coffee and maybe some… wine?” That’s more like it.

She changes her order to a glass of dry white wine alongside an espresso, which she promptly disregards. It’s perhaps her grounded, sensible, and disciplined nature that enabled this daughter of two Welsh educators to navigate the chaos of the Sixties without losing herself. Although she is fundamentally shy, she also possesses a remarkable degree of self-control.

“I’ve been on a diet since 1962,” she remarks, listing black coffee, tomatoes, avocados, basil, and olive oil as her essential slimming foods.

“You can eat as much of them as you want,” she adds.

During an era when many were indulging in various substances, she would opt for a refreshing glass of Sancerre instead of drugs.

“Stick to some lovely white wine or red wine. You don’t need to get into that dangerous stuff,” she advises, raising her glass.

“I always found drugs frightening, and in the Sixties, they were ubiquitous.”

There was a time, after exhausting herself with collections, when her doctor prescribed amphetamines.

“He should have just told me to sleep early and stop overworking myself,” she recalls, “but instead, I got purple hearts.”

“For a few weeks, life became frightening. I’d cross the street, and it felt like the pavement was rushing up towards me. It was dangerously disorienting.”

Nonetheless, work became Mary Quant’s chosen escape. Work and her beloved APG, whom she met at Goldsmiths’ College of Art in London.

In her book, she describes him as a “6ft 2in prototype for Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney rolled into one.”

He sported long hair, played the jazz trumpet, and attended classes wearing his mother’s gold silk pyjamas.

Later, the couple gained media attention when she disclosed that he had styled her pubic hair into a heart shape. In silent homage, a waiter once presented her with heart-shaped steak tartare, and John Lennon sent her sketches suggesting new shapes.

“I won’t disclose what they were; that remains between John and me,” she states.

She took up residence in Belgravia with APG, a dynamic bon viveur whose entrepreneurial flair fit perfectly into the liberated times.

However, if there was a shadow side to the Sixties, it might be represented by Plunket Greene and his appetites, along with his premature death.

He adored Mary but was a notorious womanizer who indulged excessively in alcohol.

He wouldn’t amend his behavior—neither for doctors nor for love.

In 1988, Plunket Greene received the grim news that he had only two years to live unless he quit drinking. He passed away in 1990, at the relatively tender age of 57.

“It was unbearable,” Quant expresses regarding his death.

“Alexander drank excessively, which contributed to his demise.

“His doctors advised quitting alcohol, but he refused. He was unwilling to change.”loved drinking and wine.

‘He had a tendency to overindulge, insisting that life was pointless without wine; that was his perspective.

‘I am convinced it ultimately led to his demise. It claimed his father as well.

‘It’s definitely a hereditary issue. I have no idea how much he consumed; I never kept tabs on the bottles. Yet he relished wine and was constantly refilling.’

Together, they had a son named Orlando, currently 42 and working in computer marketing.

He is married with three young children, making Quant quite the glamorous grandmother.

Through the ups and downs, her fondness for APG never faded, despite the challenges in their marriage.

‘The term I’d use is riotous, not challenging.

‘He was a notorious womaniser, making things loud and tumultuous. We had intense confrontations about it. Did he sleep with any of my friends? I’m sure he did. I turned a blind eye to some extent, until I couldn’t anymore, and then I would throw things. Yet it was magnificent, in a way.

‘At the same time, he was loyal. Unfaithful yet loyal.’

How can that coexist? Quant simply chuckles. During their most chaotic moments, she sought the help of a psychiatrist — her husband did too — and she claims this was tremendously beneficial; it boosted her confidence and enabled her to comprehend his actions better. Not that her understanding was ever too deep.

While she believes her intense focus on work caused her to neglect him, she never considered herself a submissive designer.

‘Don’t ignore it,’ she advises.

‘No, no. You must express yourself — throw things and create a big fuss. Naturally, he always vowed to change his ways. There were moments of unhappiness, but I must also mention there was a vast amount of happiness as well.

‘Be gentle with him; it was simply the spirit of that era.

‘He was incredibly fun. He possessed the ability to dance like no one else, truly. And he was quite the handsome figure.’

The couple mingled in elite circles (attending the wedding of Princess Margaret and photographer Tony Armstrong-Jones).

During this period, Quant pioneered the use of PVC in fashion, and when Armstrong-Jones was sent by a magazine to photograph her in the exciting new wet-look outfits, the Princess became convinced of an affair — which was simply not Quant’s nature.

‘I was a bit slow to catch on. I was too infatuated with Alexander. He was quite captivating,’ she remarks, with a smile.

So what are her thoughts on the latest addition to the Royal Family?

Quant expresses her admiration for the Duchess of Cambridge, appreciating her preference for ‘a good, light navy blue’ and her knack for wearing hats ‘at just the right angle’.

‘She has the wisdom to stay in excellent shape, which is commendable. I fear that for fashion photography, one needs to be slim. She accomplishes this effortlessly and wears her outfits with such flair and enthusiasm, it brings joy to others watching.

‘She is ideal; we definitely found the right one. There’s nothing mundane about her. Just the way she adorns her hat shows she’s far from a boring individual.’

Mary Quant embodies a pleasant demeanor, both sweet and slightly sharp, reminiscent of a splash of grapefruit juice.

Many, many years have elapsed since her days of strolling to Quaglino’s for dinner with Alexander, dressed in the first little dresses she crafted after attending cutting classes.

To grasp the essence of sizing, she purchased Butterick patterns and ‘trimmed off the excess to achieve the desired shapes.’

Less than a year later, she and APG opened their own store, leading to Butterick recruiting her for design work.

‘That was quite the boost,’ she shares.

Now, Alexander has passed — and so have Mary’s rights to her name, which a Japanese company currently utilizes for clothing and cosmetics under her branding and trademark.

Having been ousted, Quant has minimal involvement now, only occasionally supplying an idea or two.

Despite her years of unending success, she insists, she does not find herself to be extremely wealthy.

‘Well, I possess a remarkable talent for spending money. And lawyers have an uncanny ability to extract it, don’t they?’ she comments.

Today, she resides in a countryside home that was bequeathed to Alexander by a relative, still sleeping in the bed they purchased at the onset of their marriage.

Presently, she shares it with the man in her life, Antony Rouse.

Initially a mutual friend of both hers and Alexander’s, Antonia Fraser once referred to him as ‘the most beautiful man at Oxford.’

Mary claims he has the most handsome feet she has ever encountered on a man.

‘After Alexander’s passing, he gradually took up residence here,’ she states.

She confides: ‘It is all quite delightful because he shares the same admiration for Alexander as I do. He adored him as well. He fully comprehends.’

 by Helena Bryanlith