THEIR STYLE IN THE 60S.. AND BEYOND
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I’ll alwaalways be grateful to Mary Quant for doindoing what she could to help launch my career.
I graduatedgrad from the London College of Fashion in the summer of 19711971.
There Ther were no jobs advertised so my friefriend Sandie and I decided we would take our portfolios out to the market marke – a long shot.
We went to Vogue, where the editor edito was encouraging and told us to “set up your own company” but wew had barely been able to afford aff our Tube fares.
We went to Mary’s studio in Che Chelsea and asked to see her, nev never thinking for a second that she would look at our work. One of her colleagues, Pamela Howard, looked through our work carefully, then made a call and in came Mary.
She was a slight figure with bright sparkling eyes, softly spoken but enthusiastic, and so gracious.
She told us she was sorry she had no permanent jobs for us but invited us to come back over the next couple of days and sketch for her.
We were stunned. We spent the next week with cloth samples she gave us, sketching as much as we could, trying to impress her with our designs.
At the end of the week, she smiled, thanked us and handed us each a generous cheque signed by her husbandhusband, Alexander Plunket Greene.Greene
She told us, “Now go and tell people you have worked for me and it will help doors open for you.”
She was – and still is – such a huge name, it was such a kind thing for her to do. She gave us such an amazing opportunity.
And it did help being able to tell people what we had done. Months later, I was flicking through Petticoat magazine and I saw my dresses – designs I had sketched for Mary. for It Marion felt so good. Donaldson I went oW in on Glasgow to work and also did lecturing at Edinburgh College of Art.
I still have a Mary Quant scarf I’ve owned since I was 14. It was a gift from my eldest sister Helen.
As far as I was concerned, Helen knew all about style. I knew how special it was – not just a cheap scarf.
As a young teenager, I loved watching the Beatles, hearing about Carnaby Street and everything else that seemed so cool at the time. Mary Quant was a big part of that.
The scarf has always been a favourite of mine and I’ve kept it all these years. It’s probably myy oldest possession.
It’s travelled everywhere with me and I even remember wearing it as a headscarff when I was expecting my daughter and painting the nursery. My granddaughter loves it now because she says the design looks like something out of Minecraft.
It’s been washed so many times but it’s still so vibrant.
The ends of the ties are a little frayed since, as a shy, awkward teenager, I chewed on them when I was nervous.
This photograph of me wearing it is from the 1980s. Oh, those perms. But the scarf still looks great.