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John Bates was a fashion designer who was part of the boutique scene that blossomed in London in the 1960s. He began designing under the name "Jean Varon." Bates went on to do costumes for Diana Rigg on the TV show The Avengers. His designs were often very daring, including sheer panels, PVC or mesh dresses. Many would argue that it was John Bates who invented the mini dress.

A major retrospective of his work was held at the Fashion Museum in Bath during the Summer of 2006, which also holds a collection of over 500 outfits, making it the largest single designer collection in any museum in the UK (www.fashionmuseum.co.uk). A complete review of his career 'John Bates: Fashion Designer' was published by ACC Editions in 2008.