Mary Quant exhibition opens at the Museum of Style Icons, Newbridge Silverware

A NEW exhibition celebrating one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century has just opened at the world-renowned Museum of Style Icons at Newbridge Silverware in County Kildare.

Mary Quant ‘60s Mini Revolution honours the legacy of the late British fashion designer, Dame Mary Quant (1930–2023), whose fearless and playful approach to fashion helped define the Swinging Sixties and revolutionised how women dressed - championed by supermodel Twiggy and worn by cultural icons like Cilla Black, Jean Shrimpton, and Pattie Boyd.

The launch of the exhibition took place on Tuesday, July 22, and featured a discussion between collection owner Jannette Flood and host Aileen O’Brien about the historical and cultural significance of Quant’s work.

This exciting exhibition marks the first time the collection, owned by Dubliner Jannette Flood, has been shown in Ireland. Having previously featured in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s globally acclaimed touring exhibition, Flood’s collection now makes its Irish debut.

With more than a million people having seen it across London, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, and Glasgow, the exhibition’s arrival in Newbridge is a huge milestone.

The display includes a remarkable array of original Mary Quant garments, makeup, and accessories collected by Flood over several decades. Highlights include rare examples of Quant’s playful "Face Crayons", her iconic black and white PVC handbags, a collection of skinny-rib dresses, a dramatic hot pink cape and ring pull zipper dresses.

For Flood, the inspiration to collect Mary Quant came from growing up in a highly style-conscious family. Her mother was a hairdresser, her father a fox furrier, her uncle a tailor, and her great-grandmother a dresser in Dublin’s Royal Theatre.

In 1986, when Virgin Records opened in Dublin with a Topshop upstairs stocking Mary Quant cosmetics, Ms Flood made her first Quant purchase.

In the pre-internet age, Ms Flood scoured second-hand shops and vintage bookstores for original items and imagery from the 1960s.

William Doyle, CEO of Newbridge Silverware and the Museum of Style Icons remarked, “This remarkable exhibition perfectly complements our permanent collection, which includes the only complete set of Beatles suits worn by the band themselves. Mary Quant’s energy, innovation, and influence reflect the spirit of the 1960s, and we are delighted to share her legacy with Irish audiences.” Admission is free and the exhibition runs until the end of 2025. For more information, visit www.visitnewbridgesilverware.com