Not on display

Pair of Ankle Boots

1967 (made)
Artist/Maker
Quant, Mary (designer)
Place of origin
Great Britain (made)

Plastic was one of the new materials used by trendsetting designers in the 1960s. These boots were produced for Mary Quant's footwear range, 'Quant Afoot', introduced in 1967. They are made from clear plastic over a coloured lining, and resemble the Chelsea boots with square heels and toes worn by the Beatles during the mid-1960s. The heels are moulded with Mary Quant's signature daisy motif. The wearer would leave a trail of daisy footprints behind her after walking through a puddle.

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read Introducing Mary Quant Inventive, opinionated and commercially minded, Mary Quant (1930 – 2023) was the most iconic fashion designer of the 1960s. A design and retail pioneer, she popularised super-high hemlines and other irreverent looks that were critical to the development of the 'Swinging Sixties' scene. Our...

Object details

Categories
Womenswear
Fashion
Footwear
Accessories
Plastic
Europeana Fashion Project
Object type
Pair of ankle boots
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Boot
  • Boot
Materials and techniques
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) lined with cotton jersey
Cotton Jersey
Polyvinyl Chloride
Lined
Brief description
Pair of women's PVC ankle boots with a cotton jersey lining, designed by Mary Quant, Great Britain, 1967
Physical description
Pair of women's yellow polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ankle boots with a cotton jersey lining. Quant trademark daisy on the bottom of the heel.
Dimensions
  • Length: 27.5cm
  • Height: 11cm
Production typeReady to wear
Marks and inscriptions
(Quant trademark daisy on the bottom of heel.)
Gallery label
(2015-2016)
Label for the exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain
A Trial of Daisies
Mary Quant revolutionised teenage fashion with her clothing and footwear in pop art colours and plastics. These boots of clear PVC over a coloured lining have her daisy logo moulded into the heel. The wearer would have left a trail of daisies when walking through muddy puddles. Quant’s look encapsulated the Carnaby Street style of swinging ’60s London.
Ankle boots
1967
London
Mary Quant
PVC, cotton and metal
Given by Susanna Lob
V&A: T.59:1, 2-1992
(1997)
Mary Quant revolutionised teenage fashion with lively designs and the use of unconventional materials such as plastics. The dyed cotton jersey used in these streamlined, clear plastic boots served to absorb perspiration and provide colour.
Credit line
Given by Susanna Lob
Object history
Registered File number 1992/72.
Summary
Plastic was one of the new materials used by trendsetting designers in the 1960s. These boots were produced for Mary Quant's footwear range, 'Quant Afoot', introduced in 1967. They are made from clear plastic over a coloured lining, and resemble the Chelsea boots with square heels and toes worn by the Beatles during the mid-1960s. The heels are moulded with Mary Quant's signature daisy motif. The wearer would leave a trail of daisy footprints behind her after walking through a puddle.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • De La Haye, Amy, ed. The Cutting Edge: 50 Years of British Fashion 1947-1997. London: V&A Publications, 1997.
  • Baker, Malcolm, and Brenda Richardson (eds.), A Grand Design: The Art of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V&A Publications, 1999.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.59:1, 2-1992

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Record createdOctober 1, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84584/pair-of-ankle-quant-mary/
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