Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary

Fri 10 Dec 2021 — Sun 13 Mar 2022

Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary

Fri 10 Dec 2021 — Sun 13 Mar 2022

Please note:

If you visit us on one of our busier days, there may be a wait for entry to Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary. For these occasions, we have a virtual queuing system. We tend to be busiest on weekends and days when the weather is rainy or overcast.

It is given to a fortunate few to be born at the right time, in the right place, with the right talents. In recent fashion there are:  three: Chanel, Dior and Mary Quant.’ – Ernestine Carter

An international exhibition exploring the work of legendary fashion designer Mary Quant is set to open at the Gallery this summer. Here from the V&A in London, Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary takes a look at the fashion icon who harnessed the youthful spirit of the sixties and embraced new mass production techniques to create a new look for modern women.

Famously modelled by Twiggy, Grace Coddington and more, Mary Quant’s clothes personified the energy and fun of swinging London and Quant became a powerful role model for the working woman. Challenging conventions, she is known as the face of the miniskirt and popularised colourful tights and tailored trousers – encouraging a new age of feminism.

Inspiring young women to rebel against traditional dress worn by their mothers and grandmothers, Quant turned a tiny boutique on the King’s Road, London, into a wholesale brand available in department stores across the UK, US, Europe and Australia. Quant’s success soon hit New Zealand, where her designs made fashion less exclusive and more accessible to a new generation.

Receiving unprecedented access to Dame Mary Quant’s Archive, as well as drawing on the V&A’s extensive fashion holdings, which include the largest public collection of Quant garments in the world, the show will bring together over 120 garments as well as accessories, cosmetics, sketches and photographs.

Mary Quant is a V&A exhibition touring the world.

About the V&A

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance, with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity. It was established to make works of art available to all and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Today, the V&A’s collections, which span over 5000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium and from many parts of the world, continue to intrigue, inspire and inform. 

 

 

Tickets

Members FREE – Become a Member

Adult $24.50
Seniors and Community Card holders $21
Student [with Student ID] $20
Children 12 and under FREE
(All children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult)
Adult ticket and exhibition catalogue $80 (Limited to 100 bundles)

How to book

On the day – You can buy tickets on any day of the exhibition (Friday 10 December 2021 – Sunday 13 March 2022) from the Gallery's information desk on our Ground level.

In advance – We're also partnering with Eventfinda to offer online advance ticket sales for Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary, including a limited special combining an adult ticket with a copy of the exhibition's catalogue. Advanced ticket sales are available via Eventfinda until 5pm, Wednesday 9 March 2022. Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary is open till Sunday 13 March 2022 and tickets may still be available from our information desk to purchase on the day. For updates on ticket availability, please call 09 379 1349.
 

BUY TICKETS


More information

Prices include GST. Booking and delivery fees, where charged, are additional to the admission price. There is no entry charge for children aged 12 or under. 

Auckland Art Gallery Members go FREE:

  • Present your membership card at the information desk on the day of your visit and you will be issued with a ticket to the exhibition.
  • Members with guest passes may also bring their guests for FREE.
  • Become a Member on the day of your visit to Mary Quant: Fashion Revoulutionary to receive a refund of the price of your exhibition ticket.
     

Buy Membership

Events

Related Events

View Event
Swinging Sixties in Auckland - How Quant Sparked Our Boutique Culture
Swinging Sixties in Auckland - How Quant Sparked Our Boutique Culture

6—7pm

Members $14, Non-Members $20 Book now

Swinging Sixties in Auckland - how Quant sparked our boutique culture.

In this talk, fashion historian Angela Lassig will chart the rise of boutique culture in the back streets and side alleys of 60s Auckland, exploring the fashion, music and makeup that energised a generation.  

View Event
Swinging Sixties: Double Feature
Swinging Sixties: Double Feature

3.15—8.30pm

From $15 Book now

What better way to celebrate the exhibition Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary than two iconic, groovy, cinematic classics that will transport you back to the swinging sixties!

Alongside a fully stocked bar, you can catch A Hard Day’s Night – a 1964 rock-and-roll romp following "a day in the life" of The Beatles as fame takes them by storm – and mystery thriller Blow-Up, by critically acclaimed director Michelangelo Antonioni, wherein a bored mod-photographer discovers he’s unknowingly captured a crime scene on film. This event will be located at The Hollywood in Avondale, New Zealand’s longest-running cinema palace.

Swinging Sixties: Double Feature

3.15—8.30pm

From $15 Book now

Visit

Groups

Please book at least two weeks in advance of your visit to secure entry to this exhibition.

Adult groups

If you are visiting in a group, advanced booking is strongly recommended to guarantee entry. Booked groups will be prioritised and very large groups may need to be admitted into the exhibition in smaller groups. All adult group visits receive a 10% discount on the standard admission price.

Adults: $22
Seniors and Community Card holders: $19

 

Secondary, tertiary, education group bookings

Secondary school group students: $10
Tertiary group students: $18

Teacher/adult-to-student ratios apply:

Years 1–4 / Ages 5–9 – 1:6
Years 5–7 / Ages 10–11 – 1:7
Years 7–10 / Ages 12–15 – 1:10
Years 11–13 / Ages 16–18 – 1:30

We reserve the right to add extra staff to supervise large groups and charges may apply – please book in advance to confirm.

Discounted entry is only available with a booking. Unbooked student groups and accompanying adults are charged at the standard admission prices. Teacher/Adult to student ratios apply to all student groups.

To make a group booking please email us.

Extras

Shop

Explore the full selection of Mary Quant-inspired gifts, including exclusive products available only from our shop. Or you can browse online. 
 

shop online

Shop Mary Quant

Read

Café

Combine your visit to Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary with time out in our café. We have a special menu with two dishes inspired by traditional British cuisine, try the new Fish Supper or the delicious Classic Shepherd’s Pie.

Cafe menu
100.30kB pdf file

Listen

FAQs

When can I see Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary?

The exhibition is on show at Auckland Art Gallery from Friday 10 December 2021 – Sunday 13 March 2022. The exhibition is open during normal Gallery hours, 10am–5pm daily. Advanced ticket sales are available via Eventfinda until 5pm, Wednesday 9 March 2022. Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary is open till Sunday 13 March 2022 and tickets may still be available from our information desk to purchase on the day. For updates on ticket availability, please call 09 379 1349.

Where is the exhibition located?

Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary is on Level 1 of the Gallery.

How do I buy tickets?

You can buy tickets on any day of the exhibition (Friday 10 December 2021 – Sunday 13 March 2022) from the Gallery's information desk on Ground level.

We're also partnering with Eventfinda to offer online advance ticket sales for Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary, including a limited special combining an adult ticket with a copy of the exhibition's catalogue.

Advanced ticket sales are available via Eventfinda until 5pm, Wednesday 9 March 2022. Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary is open till Sunday 13 March 2022 and tickets may still be available from our information desk to purchase on the day. For updates on ticket availability, please call 09 379 1349.
 

BUY TICKETS

Are there discounts for children?

Children aged 12 and under are FREE. Please note that children aged under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Can I enter more than once with my ticket?

Any-day tickets provide you with exhibition admission on a single day only, but you may visit the exhibition more than once during that day.

Auckland Art Gallery Members and Members Guests receive FREE unlimited entry to Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary.

Become a member

Will I have to queue?

While it’s most likely you’ll be able to enter Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary without needing to queue, if you visit us on one of our busier days and times, there may be a wait for entry to the exhibition. For these occasions, we have a virtual system, which allows you to visit other exhibitions or to spend time in our shop or café without losing your place in the queue.

We tend to be busiest on weekends and days when the weather is rainy or overcast. To increase your chances of visiting with no queue, we recommend you time your exhibition experience for earlier in the day and earlier in the week – and, if possible, for a sunny day!

How do I become a Member and see the exhibition for free?

Gallery Members receive free unlimited entry to Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary. Follow the link to become a member. 

Become a member

Why is there a charge for this exhibition?

Your ticket price contributes to the costs involved in mounting an exhibition of this scale and calibre and of bringing international objects on loan to New Zealand.

How much time should I allow to view the exhibition?

We recommend allowing 60–90 minutes to view Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary. Last entry is usually at 4pm daily.

Is there a programme of events associated with Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary?

Yes, the exhibition is accompanied by a special visitor programme. See What’s on for more details. You can also subscribe to our fortnightly e-newsletter to receive the latest information on upcoming events straight to your email inbox.

sign up

Can I take photographs in the exhibition?

Yes, photography without flash for personal use is permitted for the vast majority of the exhibition. Where there are exclusions 'no photography' signage will be on display. View the Gallery's full photography policy.

Is Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary suitable for families and children?

Yes! We encourage and welcome families with children of all ages to visit Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary. Children aged 12 and under go FREE.

After viewing the exhibition, extend your visit with a trip to Todd Foundation Creative Learning Centre. 

Please note we don't allow food or drink in the exhibition and ask that you don't touch the artworks.

Where can I park?

We recommend Auckland Transport's Victoria Street carpark which is located a few hundred metres up the road from the Gallery.

Do groups – including education groups – need to make a booking?

Yes. Bookings for groups (including adult education groups) of 10 or more people should be made by emailing us with the details of your group, group size, and preferred date(s) and time(s) of visit.

Booked groups will be prioritised.