LoVING LAuRA AShleY

Over the last few weeks I have rekindled my love for Laura Ashley. I have been firing facts I have learned about Laura at everyone and about how she built up her business, from printing tea towels in the kitchen of her small flat to an international retail empire. I have begun reading the biography 'A Life By Design' by Anne Sebba, which gives us an insight into the woman behind the brand. 

 I didn't know until recently that neither Laura nor her husband Bernard were originally designers. Before her children were born Laura was a secretary in the handicrafts department at the headquarters of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, where she fitted right in, indulging her love of knitting and dressmaking at every opportunity. It was joked that the WI woman was Laura's alter ego, she regularly attended courses and workshops and her eyes were opened to the art of patch work by an exhibition at the V&A. It was around this time that her husband Bernard (who worked for the Investment trust) got on board and together they built their 1st silk screen so Laura could print fabrics for her quilts. In the early days it was really Bernard who learnt all about printing and eagerly put it into practice producing simple, graphic head scarfs and table mats. The scarfs became such a success because of the subsequent release of the film "Roman Holiday", which sported chic Italian girls wearing head scarfs with style. Laura took their wares to John Lewis on Oxford street who agreed to stock them. Within hours they had sold out. This was the beginning of the Laura Ashley story!

After this Laura took a back seat to bring up their young children and Bernard built up the printing business. A point that I found particularly interesting was that when Bernard began printing Victorian inspired tea towels he thought that this domestic product should have a woman's signature on it. "Thus was his fate sealed. On some of the towels a printed copy of Laura Ashley's signature even formed part of the design." The Laura Ashley brand was born!

The process of how a normal woman called Laura became "Laura Ashley" the brand and global chain that defined a generation, is really informative when doing research for my Design In the Market Module. For my make believe business plan I intend to set up a textiles brand along the same lines Laura Ashley and more recently Cath Kidston. They both epitomise their business, personify their product and have created a lifestyle. I think creating a lifestyle to aspire to as well as a unique product is a lot to do with their success. Also a canny knowledge of trend forecasting and sticking to their niche and unique selling point, something that I need to establish so as not to become just another chintzy textile brand. I need something new, unique and brave. This is what Laura Ashley wanted to achieve and did achieve when she began her journey in 1953! 

I think the book "A Life By Design" will continue to be helpful to my module research.

I FEEl a trEnD cOmInG ON!

Until recently I had never thought about how designers know forthcoming colours and looks or where trends come from. After attending Premier Vision in Paris last year my eyes were well and truly opened to the world of trend forecasting and last week I was lucky enough to get to attend a textiles trends presentation at 'The Lighthouse', the center for architecture and design, in Glasgow. We had a presentation from Anne Ritchie who specialises in trend forecasting, about the Spring/Summer 2013 interior and fashion trends.
The main trend that stood out for me and seems to run through everything at the moment is a celebration of craftsmanship! People want something more unique and personal for there money. From food to interiors, the home grown, handmade and everything artisan is creeping into Vogue. Traditional techniques such quilt making and embroidery are appearing being used in innovative ways and as we have seen over the last few years, vintage and haberdashery detailing are still big. This really appeals to me as I love going wild with embellishment, recycling old buttons and beads and I love mixing and matching. The trend that encapsulates this, bringing elements of old and new together is 'Eccentric Boutique'. Poisonous greens, dusty plums, ocher, clashing prints of pattern and stripes, all full of embellishment give this trend a jumbled, electric feel. Again this is a look I really warm too, I think its because I've grown up surrounded by this eclectic trend. My mum has always liked creating her own interior looks with antique and vintage finds from over the years, mixed with bright prints and key modern pieces. It just shows that this look is really easy to create by just keeping your eyes open for classic and quirky bits and bobs. I am constantly on the look out for the next unusual piece.

In complete contrast to this is the trend 'Northern Lights'. It continues to showcase the idea of vintage and eclectic but in a more natural way, with a cooler, weather worn yet nostalgic feel. Meadow grass greens, pinks and stone greys all add to this serine trend. I think this is the perfect look for summer, bringing the texture of the outdoors in and again creating an organic feel. Its all about distressing, untreated wood, matt finishes and again hand made. Quilts and baskets just a few examples of the craft elements essential to this look. Its really interesting how trends change with the economy and general feel within the country. Like the recession in the 80s, the recent recession has seen fashion hark back to the past. Everyone is loving the nostalgic look with companies like Cath Kidston, who's whole ethos is about recreating retro prints flourishing. Both the trends I've highlighted have a relaxed, vintage and mix matched feel looking to the past for inspiration. You don't have to have a lot of money to achieve these homely, stylish looks and that's why I think everyone will be so attracted to them.