Laura Ashley – A Trip down Memory Lane

Today I rifled through a rail of exquisite clothes that most vintage dealers would give their eye teeth and their Ossie Clarks for. It was Laura Ashley’s S/S press preview and in anticipation of their 60th anniversary they had pulled out several pieces from their archives dating back to the late 50’s for the press to coo over. I had forgotten how ingrained the Laura Ashley aesthetic is in most people of my generation’s age. My mother’s bridesmaids were dressed in Laura Ashley, my most treasured outfit was an LA pinafore and lace trimmed blouse and I how I hankered after the pink matching bedlinen, wallpaper and lampshade that several of my close friends had. Every piece of clothing was like an old familiar face but still seemed so fresh after years in storage. Please Laura Ashley! You must re-issue some exact replicas of these old archive pieces – they would fly off the shelves! I went onto explore the current clothing collection and have to say that stylish as it all was I did hanker after some puffed sleeves, bonnets, block prints and sprigged linen.

Laura Ashley S/S Highlights to follow