Laura Ashley catalogue

Laura Ashley is known around the world for specialising in high quality home furnishings, womenswear, and childrenswear and the latest catalogue is the biggest yet and full of classic styles and inspiring ideas. more...

Laura Ashley history

Born Laura Mountney in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales she married stockbroker Bernard Albert Ashley (latterly Sir Bernard) in 1949. Laura Ashley became a household name for her design and manufacturing of colourful fabrics for clothes and home furnishings.


In 1953 Laura and Bernard set up in business. The company was originally known as Ashley Mountney (Laura's maiden name), but was subsequently changed to "Laura Ashley" by Sir Bernard as he felt a woman’s name was more appropriate for their product range.


Initially she designed napkins, table mats and tea towels and Sir Bernard printed them in their attic flat on a flat-bed printing process that he had designed and developed himself. Following a visit to a traditional handicrafts display at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1953, she recognised an opportunity and started printing Victorian style headscarves.