Ashley, Laura

Ashley, Laura

▪ British designer
née  Mountney  
born Sept. 7, 1925, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales
died Sept. 17, 1985, Coventry, Warwickshire, Eng.

      British designer known for her traditional, Victorian-style prints on natural fabrics, which she used to create household furnishings, linens, and women's clothing. By the time of her death there were more than 220 Laura Ashley shops worldwide.

      She served in the royal naval services in World War II, married Bernard Ashley in 1949, and in 1953 began her design business in her Pimlico (London) home, using silk screens to create placemats and scarves. She eventually designed dresses, curtains, decorative accessories, wallpaper, and tiles.

      The Ashleys moved to Surrey and then, in the late 1950s, to Carno, Wales, site of what became the world headquarters of their expanding operations. Bernard Ashley handled the engineering and financial aspects of the business, and Laura created the designs, noted for their floral, frilly, and lace-covered appearances, suggestive of traditional English country manners and ways. From wholesaling, the couple moved into retailing in 1967, with the opening of their first shop in Kensington, London. This enterprise was followed by the establishment of numerous outlets overseas, including shops in Canada and Australia and later in continental Europe and the United States. As her operation expanded, she became a tax exile, living in Brussels and France.

Additional Reading
Anne Sebba, Laura Ashley: A Life by Design (1990); John Evans, Laura Ashley, Fashion Designer (1996).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ashley, Laura —    b. 1925, Merthyr Tydfil; d. 1985    Fashion designer    Laura Ashley was one of the best known names in British fashion. A self taught designer, she started her own company in 1953, selling printed scarves, tea towels and aprons. In 1969 she… …   Encyclopedia of contemporary British culture

  • Laura Ashley — [Laura Ashley] » ↑Laura Ashley …   Useful english dictionary

  • Laura Ashley™ — [Laura Ashley] a company started in 1953 by the Welsh ↑designer Laura Ashley (1925–85) and her husband Bernard. Its products are well known for their traditional country designs and soft colours, and include clothes, printed cotton fabrics and… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Laura Ashley — Logovariante von Laura Ashley Markenlogo von Laura Ashley …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Laura Ashley — CBE, (7 September 1925 – 17 September 1985) was a Welsh designer.She became a household name on the strength of her work as a designer and manufacturer of a range of colourful fabrics for clothes and home furnishings.CareerBorn Laura Mountney in… …   Wikipedia

  • Laura Leighton — Données clés Nom de naissance Laura Miller Naissance 24 juillet 1968 (1968 07 24) (43 ans) USA Nati …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Laura Bell Bundy — Bundy in April 2010 Born Laura Ashley Bell Bundy April 10, 1981 (1981 04 10) (age 30) Euclid, Ohio …   Wikipedia

  • Laura Michelle Kelly — Nacimiento 4 de marzo de 1981 (30 años) …   Wikipedia Español

  • Laura Bell Bundy — Laura en Birdland (2007) Datos generales Nombre real Laura Ashley Bell Bundy …   Wikipedia Español

  • Laura Vandervoort — Nombre real Laura Dianne Vandervoort Nacimiento 22 de septiembre de 1984 (27 años) Toronto, Ontario, Canadá …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”