Fashion designer Mary Quant died at 93, and the fashion world is mourning the loss of an iconic trendsetter.

Reports say that she died peacefully in her home in Surrey, England, according to her family. Quant was made a dame in 2014 for her contribution to British fashion.

Known for miniskirts and hot pants, Mary Quant’s “Mod look” included candy-colored tights—and lots of “wet look” dresses, shoes, boots, and raincoats in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). 

Model Twiggy Larson began modeling in 1966 and became synonymous with Quant’s “look.” Larson posted a tribute on Instagram, saying:

“Mary Quant was such an influence on young girls in the late 50s early 60s. She revolutionized fashion and was a brilliant female entrepreneur. The 1960s would have never been the same without her. Condolences to her family, RIP dear Dame Mary.”

The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London featured a retrospective exhibition, “Mary Quant,” in 2019. V&A posted on Instagram: 

“It’s impossible to overstate Quant’s contribution to fashion. She represented the joyful freedom of 1960s fashion and provided a new kind of role model for young women. She helped to define Britain’s global identity as a center for street-style innovation, with signature looks such as PVC raincoats, colorful tights, and the skinny-rib sweater. Fashion today owes so much to her revolutionary and trailblazing vision.”

In the video interview below posted by ITN Archive on YouTube, Quant is asked, “You design everything, from makeup to shoes. Is this because you believe fashion is very much a total look?”

Quant replies, “Yes, I think it’s sort of a jig-saw. Sort of depth-dressing.” 

Quant wanted her customers to be able “to put all the pieces together” in their own way, so she made various items in matching colors—from shoes to tights and clothing. 

Quant’s Famous Bob Haircut by Vidal Sassoon

Quant’s “mod look” was a total look that often included smoky kohl eye makeup, white eyeliner, and her signature geometric bob haircut. Vidal Sassoon created the angular cut in 1963.

When Sassoon died in 2012, Quant wrote an obituary about him for The Guardian. She said, “He liberated women from the punishment of hours spent under the bonnet of a hairdryer, with fat rollers digging into their scalps…Your hair did not forget the shape he created, it simply returned to base…For me, he produced the perfect cap on my leggy miniskirted designs and the frame for my color cosmetics.”

Quant’s Profitable Makeup Business

Quant’s makeup looks were as innovative as her clothing. She launched Mary Quant Cosmetics in 1966—and it may have been her most profitable business. “The makeup proved extremely profitable, particularly in Japan, where Quant retained a devoted following,” Fortune writes. 

Quant’s beauty products and packaging were playful. Mary Quant Cosmetics’ blush, shown above, features her signature daisy logo on the packaging. A colorful set of makeup “crayons’ looked like they belonged to an artist—or a child. (See them in our Online Exclusive linked below).

Mary Quant Cosmetics Japan Ltd. holds the current license. The Guardian reported that there are more than 200 Mary Quant Color shops in Japan and just two in London. Quant stepped down from the company in December 2000, when the stores generated an estimated $119 million annually. 

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Mary Quant’s story continues in our ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Remembering Mary Quant—How Her Style Defined an Era