Fragrance house

Laura Ashley

Laura and Bernard Ashley began the business in London in 1953, initially printing textiles and scarves at home. It expanded into fashion and home furnishings, becoming a lifestyle brand associated with floral prints, vintage-inspired motifs, English countryside references, and Laura Ashley’s Welsh background. During the 1970s, its floral dresses became a mainstream expression of the period’s hippie-influenced style. The first home catalogue appeared in 1981, followed by The Laura Ashley Book of Home Furnishings in 1983, which influenced interiors internationally. After Laura Ashley died in 1985, her creative vision remained a reference point for later work. MUI controlled the listed company from 1998 until its insolvency-related sale in April 2020, when Gordon Brothers acquired the global brand and intellectual property. In January 2025, Marquee Brands acquired the brand, archives, and related intellectual property. In fragrance, Laura Ashley No. 1 is documented as the brand’s most widely known fragrance, associated with the early 1980s and reformulated for a 2012 return.