FASHION@#V&A FROM DIOR TO MARY QUANT

Mary Quant in 1966 in one of her first success dresses! The V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) are at the moment a bit of a fashion destination with two big exhibitions on the topic at once. Dior and Mary Quant, the opposites. Some would say that Britain has had no influence on fashion, not like the French. I am not so sure about that having lived in the UK for over 20 years. The upper class in the UK has always had their own fashion, and still does. A fashion that has travelled the world over. Think dandy, long hair, Oscar Wilde, tweed and brogues, for both sexes. Saville Row is the destination for this and now Burberry, Mulberry has made it fashion for the whole world! Anyway, Mary Quant (alongside Courrèges) are credited to be the inventor of the miniskirt. She wanted to reach the masses and design clothes for modern women. Fashion that was easy to wear, easy to clean, and not to expensive. Her fashion and style reached me and my first Mary Quant item was a pair of white stockings with her flower logo. I bought it at NK Farsta (strangely enough this upmarket department store had a branch in this working class/middle class suburbia, like having a Harrods in Croydon!)where I frequently visited being a fashionista from a very early age. I wore this stockings (I must have been about 14 at the time) until they fell apart. I also had some of her makeup. Just loved her red lipstick, just the right bold colour and the nail varnish in the round bottles.

The graphics at the exhibition is just like Mary Quants own, pop and op and monochrome. Her graphics and fashion are timeless.

Again, this is from the late 60:s but could just as well have been by HM and Topshop today! Sporty chic and comfortable. She was one of the first to add stretchy materials and a sporty look to her dresses.

She was also one of the first to make the raincoat fashionable. New vinyl materials was on the market and this is just one of her cool rainy day outfits.

I think I was about 12 (1967) when the fashion was all in the tricolour colours. I crouched my own Beatles cap and scarf in this colours and wore blue/white/red from top to toe!

More graphics, the iconic flower is still going strong!

Sport influenced a lot of Marys early work and also creates a bit of a red thread throughout her career. This could be now!

Ziggy Stardust? No, this was created by MQ earlier but the platform shoe was not invented by her. They have been around for centuries.

The poster of stocking collection. The one I had are the third from the left!

The entrance of the exhibition where the shop is. I missed more girly t-shirts with her flower on and more of her Make Up and some more bold earring. DO NOT MISS THIS IF YOU ARE A INTERESTED IN FASHION AND IN LONDON. UNTIL 16 FEB 2020.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the V&A one of the worlds most famous fashion houses have their own exhibition. V&A has turned fashion museum! A beautifully curated "show" that will interested even the most non fashionistas. Until 1 Sept 2019, book your tickets!

Evening dress by Dior's firs and current female designer.

The exhibition had a part with "window displays" arranged by colour. A mix of designers and eras.

Part of Gallianos influence on Dior. Sorry he had to go and show his antisemitism in a bar. It was his downfall.

More from Galliano. The reason for him leaving Dior was not mentioned in this exhibition. Cowardliness?

Famous designers has come and gone with Dior.

Yves Saint-Laurent was one of Dior's very successful designers before he left and started his own brand.

The magnificent entrance of the Dior exhibition shows what we call the "New look" interpreted by Dior's different designers during the years. All photos by AKB Design. Book your tickets online. There is always a limited number or extra tickets that can be obtained the same day. You will have to queue up at 10.00 AM and you get a slot during the same day!