In 1945, the textile company Ascher commissioned a number of leading modern British artists and designers to produce designs for headscarves.
The artists were asked to submit patterns in any medium, colour or size, for a 2ft 11in (90cm) long silk or rayon square, choosing their own subject matter. The designs were launched in 1946 at Britain Can Make It, the first post-war exhibition held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington.