Origins
It was Audrey Hepburn who inadvertently sparked the growth of one of the world's best-loved and most successful fashion and home furnishing companies. Audrey appeared alongside Gregory Peck in the 1953 film "Roman Holiday", sporting a headscarf and so creating a style that became an instant hit around the globe. It was at exactly that time that a young couple, Laura and Bernard Ashley, were starting to produce headscarves as well as table mats and napkins on their kitchen table in a flat in Pimlico.
The Ashleys had invested £10 in wood for the screen frame, dyes and a few yards of linen. The scarves were an instant success with stores such as John Lewis and Heal's and put them on the road to becoming an international company with a brand that is recognised around the globe.

Originally, the company was located in a vacant social club in the small village of Carno, Montgomeryshire. In 1967, however, the factory moved across to the village's railway station which had closed two years earlier. Within those early years, the foundations of the company were set. Bernard had developed his flat-bed printing process to produce 5,000 metres of fabric per week and - most crucially - in 1966, Laura produced her first dress for social rather than work attire.

The long length silhouette was to become the Laura Ashley trademark. It also was to work successfully in the company's favour as fashion switched from the mini to the maxi skirt at the end of the 1960's.

Expansion (1970 - 1985)
By 1970, sales had reached £300,000 per year, with further shops opening in Shrewsbury and Bath. In one week alone, London's Fulham Road site sold 4,000 dresses and received an extra fillip when a newspaper suggested that by donning a Laura Ashley number, women could look as beautiful as Catherine Ross in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

A licensing operation led to the opening of department store concessions in Australia, Canada and Japan in 1971, while domestic expansion continued unabated. The first Laura Ashley shop in Paris was a sell-out from day one of trading in 1974. The same year, Laura Ashley made its grand entrance into the USA with the opening of a store in San Francisco.

In 1985 following Laura Ashley's tragic death, Laura Ashley Holdings plc went public in a flotation that was 34 times oversubscribed.

The late 80's saw the knighthood of Sir Bernard Ashley, the opening of prestigious retail sites in London, the launch of the "Mother and Child" collection and "Laura Ashley Home", a range of exclusive home furnishings. Laura Ashley celebrated its 40th anniversary in 1993, the same year that Sir Bernard retired as chairman and became honorary life president. The Ashley family remain interested in the development of the business. Over recent years the company has weathered the managing effects of worldwide recession.

In May 1998, MUI Asia Limited became a major shareholder in Laura Ashley and remain committed to returning Laura Ashley to prosperity. Under the leadership of the Chief Executive Mr K C Ng, this world famous international brand is profitable once again. The overall strategy is to focus on modernising the brand whilst remaining true to Laura Ashley's brand values.

Key motivators include product development to meet the needs of target customers through focusing on signature product ranges. Investment in stores with an extensive refit programme in the UK and in Europe, and an effective communications strategy has been put into place to articulate the brand image. The brand strategy has provided a solid base upon which the company is progressing.

Today Laura Ashley can be found across the country through it's own shops and through selected retailers

Click here for Laura Ashley's Website - http://www.lauraashley.com