Mini-Dress thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Mini-Dress

1967 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Mary Quant began to design clothes for Bazaar, her shop in the King's Road, London, in 1957. She swiftly moved into wholesale production with her Ginger Group garments, which had an easy fitting, informal styling. This is an excellent example of a Ginger Group mini-dress. A similar jersey dress was illustrated in Honey (March 1967) and cost 8 1/2 guineas. This and similar dresses in the collection would have been worn with dense black or white tights (Mary Quant designed her first tights in 1965), and big-brimmed felt hats or berets in matching Ginger Group colours.

This dress forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection, brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination, Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Bonded wool and nylon jersey
Brief description
Mini-dress of wool and nylon jersey, designed by Mary Quant for Ginger Group, London, 1967.
Physical description
Mini-dress of bonded wool and nylon jersey. The short skirt is gently gathered into the low waist. The short sleeves and neck facing are cream and the front fastens with a row of cream buttons. The sleeve edges are top stitched in black and the hem in cream.
Dimensions
  • Circumference: 855mm (Note: bust)
  • Circumference: 834mm (Note: waist)
  • Width: 390mm (Note: shoulder seam to shoulder seam)
  • Length: 858mm
Marks and inscriptions
Label 'MARY QUANT'S GINGER GROUP MADE IN ENGLAND'
Credit line
Given by the designer
Summary
Mary Quant began to design clothes for Bazaar, her shop in the King's Road, London, in 1957. She swiftly moved into wholesale production with her Ginger Group garments, which had an easy fitting, informal styling. This is an excellent example of a Ginger Group mini-dress. A similar jersey dress was illustrated in Honey (March 1967) and cost 8 1/2 guineas. This and similar dresses in the collection would have been worn with dense black or white tights (Mary Quant designed her first tights in 1965), and big-brimmed felt hats or berets in matching Ginger Group colours.

This dress forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection, brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination, Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.
Bibliographic reference
Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971 203
Collection
Accession number
T.351-1974

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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