Mary Quant’s first boutique, Bazaar, opened in London's King's Road in 1955, launching a successful fashion career. Her youthful easy-to-wear clothing became so popular that in 1963, she launched a lower-priced ready-to-wear range called 'Ginger Group'. She also entered into licensing agreements with manufacturers to produce hosiery, underwear, cosmetics and accessories bearing her name. Almost anyone, whatever their income, could spare the money to buy a pair of 'Mary Quant' stockings or a lipstick. This enabled girls who could not otherwise afford her clothing to feel in touch with fashion, and made Mary Quant a household name.

This mini-dress comes from the wardrobe of Pamela Howard Mace (1932-2008), who had a long career in fashion, after starting work in London for the magazine Home Notes, at the age of sixteen. She moved to South Africa for a while, but returned to London in 1962, where she worked for Mary Quant as her PA, becoming design director in 1968 until the late 1970s.

In 1966 Mary Quant designed her 'Calico Collection', with dresses in pale colours with broderie anglaise trimmings, collars and flounces, inspired by Victorian and Edwardian clothing and undergarments found in wardrobes at her husband's family home. This little dress may have been a sample made for this collection.