Dearest Little Mermaids , today I take advantage of our Coffee Break to tell you a story of female transgression and rebellion, that of the miniskirt. How is it possible that a piece of fabric measuring just 30 centimeters has revolutionized the world of fashion forever, breaking traditional patterns, upsetting the right-thinking mentality and becoming a symbol of courage, irony, strength, sensuality and the fight for female emancipation?
The birth of the miniskirt
The year was 1963 when the unscrupulous and exuberant London designer Mary Quant exhibited the first version of the legendary miniskirt for the first time in the shop windows of the central Kings Road in London. It was a truly revolutionary garment, but one that responded well to the "new" needs of women of the time, to their feminist struggles for equality between the sexes, but also for sexual freedom.
The miniskirt soon became the symbol of London women who loudly demanded a more youthful fashion with uninhibited and transgressive clothing. In fact, the days of the Coco Chanel skirt and sober and elegant fashion were long gone.
The reaction of "good" London was certainly not long in coming: Mary Quant 's invention was deemed outrageous and sinful and unsuitable for upper-class women. Equally scandalous was the fact that it was invented by a woman, in fact, soon the rumor spread that the inventor had actually been a French designer named André Courrèges. The tenacious designer Mary Quant was not at all affected by the accusations and responded in style by saying that " neither she nor André had created the miniskirt, but the streets of London ".
The miniskirt between hate and love
The miniskirt was born from the mind and creativity of a little more than thirty-year-old Mary Quant , but its success was also made by seventeen-year-old Leslie Hornby, known as Twiggy, who constantly proudly showed off this new revolutionary garment.
Thanks to Mary's invention, women were for the first time in history free to show their legs and knees.
However, the enthusiasm of feminist women also corresponded to the violent adverse reaction of the rest of the fashion world: Coco Chanel was horrified at the sight of the miniskirt and Dior stated that the knees were the least seductive part of a woman's body. The criticisms, fortunately, did not stop the unstoppable success of the miniskirt which, since then, has become an unmissable must among our outfits.
Did you know? Since 2015 there has also been an international day dedicated to the miniskirt: June 6th.
Hoping you enjoyed this story, I'll leave you now otherwise my latte will get cold. I recommend that if you are organizing your holiday for next summer, don't forget to pack a VieL swimsuit and read my tips for having a sustainable holiday .