The Victoria and Albert Museum- Mary Quant Exhibit

Mary Quant selecting fabric, 1967 © Rolls Press/Popperfoto/Getty Images

Being based off the Kings Road, we at The Amazing Blog can still see today the influence the British iconic designer Mary Quant has in not only high street fashion, but also in the lifestyle and her rebellion against conformity as part of the Chelsea Set. Mary Quant was the one who really made London swing in the early 1960s. Quant’s tiny boutique Bazaar on the King’s Road grew into a wholesale brand available in department stores across the UK. Quant’s success soon hit America, where her designs were made for chain stores and mail order companies. So, when we heard that The Victoria and Albert Museum was holding an exhibition in honor of Dame Mary Quant, we knew that it was a date for the diary. We just have to see her original mini skirts and hot pants in real life all of which were made famous by the model Twiggy.

Mary Quant and models at the Quant Afoot footwear collection launch, 1967 © PA Prints 2008

The exhibition will showcase a range of Quant’s 200 garments and accessories, including some personal, unseen pieces, spanning from the years 1955 through to 1975. A range of vibrant tights, hot pants, theatrical makeup and her renowned miniskirts will be available for display to the public for the first time in almost 50 years. It will also seek to delve into how Quant’s contributions of garments, accessories and even her retail practices completely “revolutionised the high street” yes, fashion as we know it today.

Satin mini-dress and shorts by Mary Quant, photograph by Duffy, 1966 © Duffy Archive

Since her opening of her shop Bazaar on King’s Road in 1955, Quant aimed to liberate women from constraining clothes to include more youthful and eccentric pieces especially during the ‘Swinging Sixties.’ Her mock turtlenecks, A-line shift dresses, pant suits and use of PVC shifted the way women thought about fashion. Her look was completed by a liberating short geometric haircut by Vidal Sassoon, who freed women from the punishment of spending hours with curlers and under a hair-drying bonnet. Dame Mary Quant observed: “Vidal Sassoon, the pill and the miniskirt changed everything for the better in the 1960’s”.

Mary Quant, photograph by Ronald Dumont, c.1967. © Ronald Dumont/Stringer/Getty Images

Tickets for Mary Quant’s exhibit are now available for purchase, which runs from 6 April 2019 – 8 March 2020, on the V&A website here.

Tom Cridland - Luxury Menswear Collection

Founded in 2014, Tom Cridland is an affordable and stylish range of menswear. It is something that I as the only chap at The Amazing Blog want to let all and sundry know about. Tom is also a bit of PR whiz, and has cleverly gained a celebrity following with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Grant, Rod Stewart, Robbie Williams, Nile Rodgers and Ben Stiller.  Not bad for a 25 year old modern languages graduate!  Tom has built up his brand all on his own and on 14th January he launched in the Concept Store in the Kings Road, Chelsea  - where his brand will be residing there for two months.

There is more than meets the eye to Tom Cridland’s luxury menswear collection. The 30 year Sweatshirt has only recently launched this year, which is sustainably made with premium organic cotton crewneck, backed up with a 30 year guarantee. No wear and tear for 30 years? Almost sounds too good to be true. With the sweaters costing around £65 if by any chance your trusty sweatshirt gets a tear on the left arm, not to worry just send it back to the shop, they will repair and send it back, completely free of charge.  It seems that Tom Cridland’s success is booming and we can only expect more from him in this year.

What I particularly love are the organic cotton trousers at £89 (see above pic of Electric Blue pair) they are a good slim fit, the material feels soft they are a really affordable price for truly really luxurious product. Tom personally oversees all the designs and manufacture in Portugal so you know that the quality will be top-notch. Tempted? Then hurry over to Kings Road and check the new 2016 collection out for yourself, or buy a sweatshirt online here. 

"Pollyhester- The Footballer and the Lure of Brands" Book Review

Here at The Amazing Blog, we are always on the lookout for new and exciting products. This week, we have found a fun new book for children and adults alike, called Pollyhester the Footballer and the Lure of Brands.

This is the second book in the Pollyhester series.  The author, Louise Verity, is an artist and fashion designer who has been illustrating and writing children’s stories for years. She now lives in France and Ireland with her husband and four dogs. 

This morality tale has illustrations which are incredibly intricate, incorporating fabric photos amongst the pencil drawings, adding depth and dimension to the pages. It's a fun read with a strong ethical sentiment behind the colorful characters; support your local community's economy and don’t become a slave to brands. The message is bold while still remaining suitable for children. It's quite the page-turner. There is even a character in the book named after Edwina, our Executive Editor!

The book is a perfect representation of the author’s quirky style and motto, “Be a bird of paradise amongst all the pigeons.” Verity's first book is available on Amazon and both books in the Pollyhester series can be ordered at any local bookshop.