About Us

It started in 1953. Twenty-eight year-old Laura Ashley had just been to the handiworks exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum and she was feeling inspired. She’d seen a display of intricate patchworks and made up her mind to have a go at her own. Investing in wood for a screen, dyes and some linen, Laura along with her husband Bernard, began printing at the kitchen table of their tiny flat. Their first attempts included small squares in geometric patterns followed by headscarves — a trend among young girls. Today the brand can be found throughout North America. Bringing back to the US the historic and coveted British fabrics, wallpapers, cushions and accessories.