Mary Quant

It’s rare in fashion for a designer to be so associated with a certain garment or period of time, but in popular culture Many Quant is inextricably linked to both the miniskirt and the Sixties. Along with Carnaby Street, The Beatles and Vidal Sassoon, Quant’s name brings to mind the moment when London became the…

V&A Diary 101-120

These are a bit late and it’s only now that I am sitting on holiday that I have had time to get this post together. Here are another 20 images in my V&A Diary project, looking at the astounding breadth of content in the V&A collection. One of the wonderful things about spending so much…

Colour Journeys

As a culmination of the year, Colour Journeys: Natural Dyeing in Contemporary Practice showcases pieces from artists and makers who have been studying with Jenny Dean, one of the country’s foremost natural dye practitioners at Ditchling, with over forty years’ experience in this specialised field. The variety of work on display includes weaving, paper, textiles…

Dorothea Tanning

‘Women artists. There is no such thing—or person. It’s just as much a contradiction in terms as “man artist” or “elephant artist.” You may be a woman and you may be an artist; but the one is a given and the other is you.’ Dorothea Tanning, 1990 As I have previously written, with specific reference…