1934-
Leading Fashion Designer in the Youth Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s

Early Life.

Mary Quant studied at Goldsmith's College of Art in London, where she met Alexander Plunket-Greene. The two opened a small boutique called Bazaar in London's Chelsea district in 1955. Two years later they were married.

Making Her Own Designs.

In the beginning Bazaar sold clothing from outside designers, but Quant soon became frustrated at the dearth of appropriate styles for young people. Clothes for youth should reflect that youthfulness, Quant believed; they should be spirited and unconventional, not stuffy and boring. Quant enrolled in night classes, bought material from Harrod's department store in London, and made up her own styles — aimed at independent, affluent working girls in their late teens or early twenties. The styles were a sensation, with a permanent line of young people waiting to get into the store...