Preen by Thornton Bregazzi was founded in 1996 by Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi. The pair first met aged 18 while studying on an art foundation course on the Isle of Man, where they both grew up. After their studies, Thornton worked for Helen Storey, designing for the 2nd Life Collection, and Bregazzi worked as a fashion stylist and produced fashion pieces for special commissions. The pair first designed together when Helen Storey asked for their input in her Autumn/Winter 1996 collection. In 1996 Thornton and Bregazzi established Preen in small premises on Portobello Green, Notting Hill, London. A year later the pair opened a stand-alone boutique on Portobello Road and began selling wholesale in 1998. The label first showed at London Fashion Week in February 2001, for the Spring/Summer season. Drawing on a broad range of inspirations including subcultures, social movements, folklore, historic dress and nature, the collections by Preen are often described by the fashion press as deconstructionist, romantic and representative of a particularly ‘London’ style. Between 2008 and 2013 the label moved their bi-annual runway show to New York, which significantly boosted their international orders. The label won the Established Designer award at the British Fashion Awards in 2015.

This dress is from the Spring/Summer 2017 collection, shown at London Fashion Week 18th September 2016. it later featured in a Fashion in Motion event at the V&A Museum in June 2019.