Dame Mary Quant Plaque Unveiled on the King’s Road to commemorate legendary fashion designer’s first store
“Chelsea ceased to be a small part of London; it became international; its name interpreted a way of living and a way of dressing” – Mary Quant
Ahead of being honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award, a plaque celebrating Dame Mary Quant was unveiled at 138A King’s Road today, the original site of her ground-breaking boutique Bazaar, which embodied a new generation’s attitude to life and fashion, bringing energy and fun to shopping.
Mary Quant revolutionised fashion, harnessing youth, street style and mass production to create a new look for women, defining the Swinging Sixties. Challenging conventions, she popularised tights, hot pants, the mini skirt and trousers, things that are now taken for granted.
The plaque unveiling coincides with London Fashion Week, Dame Mary’s ‘Lifetime Achievement’ at the World Fashion Awards, as well as a major international retrospective exploring her influential career at the V&A museum, just a short walk from the King’s Road, which brings to life how she injected positivity and colour back to a post-war London. The bonanza of an exhibition traces Quant’s career from 1955 to 1975, exploring the evolution of her style, and how her clever marketing created a global lifestyle brand. The show runs until 16 February 2020.
Hugh Seaborn, Chief Executive of Cadogan said, “The King’s Road has a long, rich heritage as the home of innovation and inspiring trends. Dame Mary is an iconic character central to the Road, who revolutionised retail with immense global impact. Today, the focus for retail is increasingly on creating immersive experiences, a strong sense of community and celebrating creativity – all values pertinent to her original trailblazing approach, that still resonate with the Road today and as we look to its future.”
The King’s Road is one of the world’s most famous shopping and lifestyle destinations. From its aristocratic origins as King Charles II’s private road, the Road is an intrinsic part of Britain’s cultural and social history. It has always been at the forefront of fashion trends – from Mods to Punks, Sloanes and New Romantics – and the epicentre of London’s art, fashion and music scene.