A plastic pac-a-mac is one of the textile highlights at Hansons Auctioneers’ upcoming sale – but this is a raincoat with a difference.
Designed legendary designer Mary Quant, the PVC poncho is a piece of haute couture that even appears in the V&A Museum.
While Quant was best known for her revolutionary designs from the ‘60s – including the miniskirt – the brightly-coloured poncho dates from the late 1980s.
Sold at airports and duty-free shops, its light-weight design was intended to appeal to a new class of budget traveller.
Hansons Auctioneers’ textiles expert, Notty Hornblower, said: “When we think of Mary Quant we think of the London of the swinging sixties, but this is one of her later designs and, in some ways, as iconic as the miniskirt. With its bold, geometric colours it screams ‘80s style.”
The one-size-fits-all garment was designed to fit into a drawstring pouch, which came with the poncho.
Mary Quant was a pioneering British fashion designer who became one of the most influential figures in 20th-century fashion.
Born in London on February 11, she studied illustration at Goldsmiths college before opening a boutique called Bazaar on the fashionable King’s Road.
The shop, which stocked sleeveless shift dresses, PVC raincoats and skinny-rib sweaters, quickly became a hub for young women looking for clothing that reflected the cultural changes of the era.
Notty continued: “This group of teenagers didn’t want to dress like their parents, they wanted a new look that suited the energy of the era. Quant created simple, playful designs that were comfortable and affordable for young women with the miniskirt becoming her most iconic contribution to fashion.”
Later in her career, when fashion shifted to playful to power dressing, Quant expanded her brand into accessories and make-up.
Notty said: “The poncho is everything we love about Mary Quant, from PVC to playfulness. It’s a great design.”
The poncho, along with another coat, has an estimate of £50-£70 at this week’s antiques and collectors’ auction on March 19.
Auction Details
Auction: Derby March Four-Day Antiques & Collectors Auction: including Silver, Jewellery & Watches
Auction date: 19th – 24th March 2026 | 9am
Location: Hansons’ Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
