Popularized — some would say invented — by British designer Mary Quant, the miniskirt sparked controversy when it exploded onto U.S. fashion circuits in 1966. Quant's base in Chelsea's King's Road, in the heart of swinging London, helped the miniskirt move beyond simple street fashion and into a major international trend. Rudi Gernreich was among the first U.S. designers to offer miniskirts, but U.S. clothing manufacturers were apprehensive about investing in shorter hem lines — that is, until Jackie Kennedy was spotted wearing one. And the rest is fashion history.