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Panty Girdle thumbnail 2
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Panty Girdle

1967 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Mary Quant’s first boutique, Bazaar, opened in London's King's Road in 1955, launching a successful fashion career. Her youthful easy-to-wear clothing became so popular that in 1963, she launched a lower-priced ready-to-wear range called 'Ginger Group'. She also entered into licensing agreements with manufacturers to produce hosiery, underwear, cosmetics and accessories bearing her name. Almost anyone, whatever their income, could spare the money to buy a pair of 'Mary Quant' stockings or a lipstick. This enabled girls who could not otherwise afford her clothing to feel in touch with fashion, and made Mary Quant a household name and a commercial success.

Her contribution to British life was marked by a retrospective exhibition at the London Museum in 1973. The exhibition included many of Quant's most revolutionary garments, some remade as facsimiles if original ones could not be found.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Synthetic jersey and elastic
Brief description
Panty girdle of synthetic jersey and elastic, designed by Mary Quant, Great Britain, 1967
Physical description
Black panty girdle of synthetic jersey and elastic with white contrast stitching on the seams. White lace edge to the legs and appliqué black and white daisy motif.
Production typeReady to wear
Gallery label
(30/03/2020)
[Mary Quant exhbition, 2019]

PANTY GIRDLE
About 1966
Worn by Mrs M. Wilson MacDonald

Mary Quant lingerie was made in the Weingarten Brothers’ factory in Portsmouth, a well-established centre of the undergarment industry. Their ‘Youthlines’ brand was launched during the 1950s, responding to demand for more natural-shaped undergarments. However, stockings rather than tights were the norm until the late 1960s, so suspender belts remained an essential part of the early ‘Q-Form’ ranges.

Nylon and elastane (Lycra)
Labelled ‘Q-Form for Mary Quant’
Manufactured by Youthlines, (Weingarten Brothers), Portsmouth
Given by Mrs M. Wilson MacDonald
V&A: T.442-1988
Credit line
Given by Mrs M. Wilson-MacDonald
Subject depicted
Summary
Mary Quant’s first boutique, Bazaar, opened in London's King's Road in 1955, launching a successful fashion career. Her youthful easy-to-wear clothing became so popular that in 1963, she launched a lower-priced ready-to-wear range called 'Ginger Group'. She also entered into licensing agreements with manufacturers to produce hosiery, underwear, cosmetics and accessories bearing her name. Almost anyone, whatever their income, could spare the money to buy a pair of 'Mary Quant' stockings or a lipstick. This enabled girls who could not otherwise afford her clothing to feel in touch with fashion, and made Mary Quant a household name and a commercial success.

Her contribution to British life was marked by a retrospective exhibition at the London Museum in 1973. The exhibition included many of Quant's most revolutionary garments, some remade as facsimiles if original ones could not be found.
Collection
Accession number
T.442-1988

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Record createdNovember 28, 2007
Record URL
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