Several weeks ago I received a package in the mail. I opened it up to find six Laura Ashley Home Furnishings catalogues dating from 1982 through 1986. A card was enclosed telling me that they were a gift from a blogger-friend Linda who was cleaning house. I spent the better half of the morning just poring over the pictures. They held a lot of memories for me. I had worked for the Laura Ashley company at the peak of its worldwide popularity. It was, and still is, amazing how Bernard and Laura Ashley, with almost no business experience, came to dominate the decorating stage. And what a stage! The Ashleys produced all the necessities (fabric, wallpaper, furniture, tile, china, rugs, etc.) to recreate English country home decor, whether your home was a grand villa or a three room flat. As I look at the photos now, they seem a bit contrived. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. A part of me would love to see the return of softer…more romantic rooms.
Thanks again, Linda! :)
(Photo- Laura Ashley Home Furnishings catalogue, 1984)
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oh my good lord. this is so romantic, it completely goes with my “bright star” fanny brawne look for this spring and summer.
p.s i think that is so cool you worked for laura ashley. wow. my mother dressed me in lots of laura ashley and i had a laura ashley wallpaper in my bedroom. tiny pink cabbage roses with a green latticed vine.
you really are a neat lady.
Ginny- At the time I worked for Laura Ashley I was too young to really see just how big an influence the company had in the world. Now of course, I realize how fortunate I was to be a part of design history…there’s never been another company that has had such an impact.
PS- What a mom! Did she save any of your Laura Ashley clothing? :)
I remember one mother came in to the Laura Ashley shop to tell the manager that she had named her daughter…’Ashley.’
how fun1 i love walking down laura ashley memory lane with you!
Chelsea- Sometimes I wonder if I talk about it too much…but glad you enjoy it. :)
Thanks, Martha! I don’t remember if I ever told you, but I picked Zandra Rhodes and Laura Ashley as subjects for research papers in a textile history class I took in grad school in the mid-70s. There was very little info about either one, just photos I clipped from magazines. It was hard to even find contact info. When I finally received a packet from the Ashleys, most of the information was in Welsh! I still have my tear-sheets of Rhodes dresses. Perhaps a future post subject for me.