All retail stores were subsequently closed and the Laura Ashley brand is now represented in the USA through its e-commerce business. Laura Ashley experienced several setbacks in the early years of the new century.
Who is Laura Ashley owned by?
On 22 April 2020, it was announced that investment firm Gordon Brothers had acquired the Laura Ashley brand name, archives and intellectual property rights out of administration.
Why did Laura Ashley close down in Australia?
"Laura Ashley to shut down Australian stores after fruitless buyer hunt". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2019. ^ "Laura Ashley sees Asia as its best hope for survival". Inside Retail Asia. 18 December 2018.
Where is Laura Ashley going to go into administration?
A Laura Ashley-branded flagship store is also planned for the Westfield shopping centre in west London, followed by others elsewhere in the UK. The company became the first major retailer to go into administration this year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Is Laura Ashley coming back?
Fans and all those left heartbroken by the news of stores closing down last March can rejoice –Laura Ashley is back! The iconic homes emporium partnered with Next to reintroduce signature Laura Ashley at Next home products online and in stores nationwide.
Is Laura Ashley still in production?
On 17 March 2020, the company filed for administration. All its stores are now officially closed from January 2021.
What is the latest news on Laura Ashley?
Gordon Brothers rescued Laura Ashley, its archive and selected IP assets from administrators in March of 2020 after it failed to secure an emergency funding lifeline amid coronavirus trading concerns, resulting in the closure of all 70 of Laura Ashley's stores.
Is Laura Ashley now Next?
Laura Ashley are now working with Next to bring its homewares back to the UK's interiors. Its new ranges will be available online via the Next website and in selected stores. It will also be available from the Laura Ashley website.
Has Laura Ashley been bought?
Laura Ashley, the fashion brand rescued from administration in March 2020, has signed a partnership with IMG to relaunch its womenswear range. Laura Ashley's brand, its archives and related intellectual property were bought by Gordon Brothers, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm.
Do Laura Ashley have shops?
Laura Ashley has relaunched its homewares in a shop-in-shop in Next. The shop-in-shop includes a showroom of different rooms of the house. The flagship store is located inside the Next store in Westfield, White City. Items for sale include indoor and outdoor furniture, lighting, mirrors and soft furnishings.
Where are Laura Ashley sofas made?
the UKWith timeless shapes, available in a refreshed collection of high quality durable fabrics, the sofa range is proudly manufactured in the UK.
Does Laura Ashley deliver to France?
British heritage brand Laura Ashley have great news for their many fans overseas, all products, including Made to Order furniture and upholstery can now be delivered to both France and Germany.
Who owns next?
Next Holdings LimitedNext plcFormerlyJ Hepworth & Son (1864–1982)Total equity£ 660.9 million (2021)OwnerNext Holdings LimitedNumber of employees41,547 (2021)Websitewww.next.co.uk15 more rows
Who owns Laura Ashley?
Laura Ashley plc ( LSE : ALY) was a British textile design company now controlled by the MUI Group of Malaysia. It was founded by Bernard Ashley, an engineer, and his wife Laura Ashley in 1953 then grew over the next 20 years to become an international retail chain. Sales totalled over £276 million in 2000. Its products have been described as 'quintessentially English.'
When did Laura Ashley go public?
Public company. Two months after Laura Ashley's death in 1985, Laura Ashley Holdings plc went public in a flotation that was 34 times oversubscribed. That same year, the first store in Japan was opened in Tokyo.
How many jobs will Laura Ashley lose in 2020?
In 2020, following the COVID-19 outbreak, Laura Ashley said it would file for administration, putting 2,700 jobs at risk. After struggling for several years, the company blamed its troubles on a "significant" drop in trade with no end of COVID-19 in sight.
What happened to Laura Ashley?
Laura Ashley experienced several setbacks in the early years of the new century. In October 2002 it launched a £18m lawsuit against L'Oréal , which manufactured the Laura Ashley perfumes; Laura Ashley was eventually awarded a reduced amount of damages , which however did not even cover the legal costs of the suit.
What was Laura Ashley's problem in the 1990s?
In the early 1990s, Laura Ashley plc was suffering from a combination of over expansion of its retail outlets and dependence on what had become an overly complex and costly outsourced network of manufacturers.
Why was Laura Ashley's company name changed?
Employing staff to cope with the growth of sales, the company name was changed to Laura Ashley because Bernard felt a woman's name was more appropriate for the type of products.
When did Laura Ashley Australia close?
At the very end of the year, Laura Ashley Australia suddenly went into administration, and when no buyer for the operation was found, all stores across Australia, as well as the online business, ceased operating at the end of 2018.
Tapestry floral
This stunning print draws on Laura Ashley’s archival roots and evokes an ornate hand-woven floral tapestry. Imagine this wallpaper wrapped all the way around a small living room with the green and pink tones pulled out in the soft furnishings.
Magnolia Grove
Embrace the Magnolia Grove designs in your home and it’ll feel like spring has sprung all year round. We’re loving this subtle, natural design that brings the outside in, while using a calming palette of greys and purple. It’s available as a wallpaper print in Natural, Slate and Dusky Seaspray colourways.
Animalia
The gorgeous Animalia design features cranes in flight, seen on the wallpaper and cushion above. You can also add this print to your home with curtain fabric and bedding. Colour combinations for this design include a dark steel, silver and blush.
Video Of The Week
The range will be online and showcased in selected Next stores, with designated branded zones.
Who bought Laura Ashley?
The investment firm Gordon Brothers acquired Laura Ashley out of administration in a deal that included its global brand, archives and related intellectual property. Laura Ashley will relaunch under Gordon Brothers in a new partnership with a UK team of designers continuing to “fly the flag” for the British heritage brand.
Why did Laura Ashley go into administration?
Laura Ashley was first the major retailer to go into administration because of the coronavirus pandemic. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images. Laura Ashley was first the major retailer to go into administration because of the coronavirus pandemic. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images.
Where is Laura Ashley's flagship store?
A Laura Ashley-branded flagship store is also planned for the Westfield shopping centre in west London , followed by others elsewhere in the UK. The company became the first major retailer to go into administration this year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Is Laura Ashley going to return to the UK?
Laura Ashley is to return to the UK high street next year in a new partnership with Next – which will sell its homeware products – and with a series of new stores.
Who owns Laura Ashley?
Gordon Brothers has acquired Laura Ashley’s global brand, its archives and related intellectual property from administration. As new owners of the brand, Gordon Brothers said it intends to “place a strong emphasis on building ecommerce, developing more strategic wholesale relationships, and expanding the portfolio of licensees ...
Where is Laura Ashley's store?
There is a large Laura Ashley store in Vastre Enterprise Park in Newtown as well as stores in Shrewsbury, Telford, Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and Wolverhampton. All of Laura Ashley’s high street stores are ...
Overview
Laura Ashley (née Mountney; 7 September 1925 – 17 September 1985) was a Welsh fashion designer and businesswoman. She originally made furnishing materials in the 1950s, expanding the business into clothing design and manufacture in the 1960s. The Laura Ashley style is characterised by Romantic designs – often with a 19th-century rural feel – and the use of natural fabrics.
Early life
Ashley was born at her grandmother's home, 31 Station Terrace, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. She was raised in a civil service family as a Strict Baptist. The chapel she attended in Dowlais (Hebron) was Welsh language and although she could not understand it, she loved it, especially the singing. Educated at Marshall's School in Merthyr Tydfil until 1932, she was then sent to the Elmwood School, Croydon. She was evacuated back to Wales aged 13, but with so many World …
The company
While working as a secretary and raising her first two children, Ashley undertook some development work for the Women's Institute on quilting. Revisiting the craft she had learnt with her grandmother, she began designing headscarves, napkins, table mats and tea-towels which Bernard printed on a machine he had designed in their attic flat at 83 Cambridge Street, Pimlico, London.
Personal life
Laura and Bernard Ashley had four children who were all involved with the business. David (born 1954/55 ), the eldest son, designed the shops; one of the daughters, Jane, was the company photographer; another daughter, Emma, and their second son, Nick, were part of the company's fashion design team. Bernard was the company chairman and Laura kept a close eye on fabrics. The success of the business meant that the Ashleys could afford a yacht, a private plane, the Fr…
Legacy
Two months after her death in 1985, Laura Ashley Holdings went public in a flotation that was 34 times oversubscribed. A memorial plaque to Laura Ashley, at the family's former home 83 Cambridge Street, Pimlico was unveiled on 5 July 1994.
Sir Bernard Ashley died of cancer on 14 February 2009.
Foundation
The Laura Ashley Foundation was set up in 1987; as the running of the Foundation has been taken over by Bernard and Laura's children, the strategy has evolved from purely funding the arts to also funding broader community and social welfare projects. It was this evolution that prompted the change of name in 2011 from The Laura Ashley Foundation to The Ashley Family Foundation.
External links
• Laura Ashley company
• in the FMD Ashley's entry in the Fashion Model Directory
• National gallery portraits