30th April 2020

Laura Ashley Lost in Covid Chaos…

philippanestie Crafts, Culture, Fashion, Image

At the beginning of this crisis fairly early on the Laura Ashley group crashed and burned and went into administration closing all its stores for good unless a buyer is to be found which looks sadly highly unlikely. I must admit with this news I felt an immediate pang of nostalgia, harking back to the romantic image of flowing Laura Ashley dresses I remembered from the 1970’s when I was growing up. A time now which seems idealistic, romantic, easy with great possibilities and a strong sense of freedom and expression. Maybe those times can return??? Or am I just fooling myself? Looking at the past with rose tinted glasses…or if I was in John Carpenter’s film They Live maybe I should put on the glasses! (just watch it…! + see…).

Hmmm…I’m really not convinced but well surprise me universe! I must admit I have not been in a Laura Ashley shop for quite a while, the last one I went in was the one on Regent Street London. It never was a store I frequented as basically couldn’t usually afford anything…but that does not stop me admiring it’s ethos set up by the inspirational founder Laura Ashley, who started the business with her husband from home. It’s carefree rural feel went perfectly with the mood of the 1960’s and 1970’s, times of great social revolution, but by the time the 1980’s came around the atmosphere had changed somewhat….but this did not diminish the appeal but maybe dampened it a little with the more commercial and cut throat times of the 1980’s.

It was also in the mid 1980’s that Laura Ashley sadly died. I remember that well at the time and being struck by the tragedy of it with an accident at her daughter’s home with her loss I feel the company lost a strong sense of its direction and never had the real impact it had historically. That doesn’t mean it didn’t do well especially in interiors but somehow with her passing for me the company had partly died too. So now apart from online that’s it, though it was interesting to read that recently a collaboration between Laura Ashley and Urban outfitters was completed, it looked very though I hate to say it ‘on trend’ and exciting a great revival to the original focus of rural and Victorian influences, a brillant tribute I thought. So therefore it is a real shame to not see this continue…I think when reading how and when she started her business I find it very inspirational maybe a very good influence in times such as these? Can a new beginning be made now? I mean she was famous for her prairie dress + a true pioneer that’s what we need now…