Mary Quant is one of Britain’s most well-known and influential designers. Along with her husband, Alexander Plunket Greene and business partner Archie McNair, she opened her first boutique, Bazaar, on the King’s Road in 1955. She originally stocked clothes from wholesalers but soon became frustrated with the options available and began designing her own clothes. In 1963 she set up the Ginger Group label. Through the Ginger Group she sold pieces at a lower price point than at Bazaar, making her designs available to a wider market. In 1964 she went into business with the Nylon Hosiery Company to create a very successful line of socks, stockings and tights and in 1965 started a collaboration with Alligator Rainwear Ltd. She later expanded into cosmetics and homeware, creating one of the first international lifestyle brands. In many parts of Europe, North America, Australia, and by the 1970s, Japan, almost anyone, whatever their income, could spare the money to buy a pair of 'Mary Quant' tights 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.

Elizabeth Gibbons became an early fan of Mary Quant's designs, reading about them in 'Life' magazine while living in Singapore with her young family. She first visited the King's Road Bazaar on a brief trip home in 1960, later making purchases by mail order. She carefully kept most of her Mary Quant garments, together with ephemeral receipts, illustrations and letters, which are now in the V&A collections.