If you’ve been mourning the loss of Laura Ashley stand-alone stores from the high street, prepare yourself for some exciting news! Laura Ashley is opening its first freestanding, bricks-and-mortar store this month.
The brand is opening the store on 26th September at Lakeside Retail Park, just outside of London. It might not be the full high street comeback we hoped for, but it is finally a place to shop for Laura Ashley home, décor and fashion collections altogether in person, outside of a Next store.
Timeless is one of the best ways to describe Laura Ashley, which was launched in 1952. Despite being famed for its iconic floral and romantic prints, Laura Ashley was an unfortunate victim of the pandemic, closing all its standalone stores in 2020. It partnered with Next to continue selling online and in-store, but this will be the first free-standing store in five years.
The new store will span nearly 10,000 sq ft and be set up as an ‘immersive environment’. What that means to you and me is that it will be bursting with inspiration for your home. The brand has promised that the new store will feature an extensive Sofa Shop experience, as well as a design hub packed with made-to-measure fabrics, wallpaper, and paint collections.
In-store, you’ll also find the Laura Ashley Interior Design Service to help you bring all your ideas together to curate the perfect room. This is the part I’m personally most excited about, as I grew up with first-hand experience of the value this service provides.
My mum used the Laura Ashley interior design service back in the 90s to decorate our family living room, and the sofa and curtain combo still looks timeless and elegant in the 2020s.
While you can currently find Laura Ashley ‘stores’ within Next across the UK, it’s due to Marquee Brands acquiring Laura Ashley earlier this year that they have been able to open this new stand-alone flagship Laura Ashley store.
‘Laura Ashley stores have always been destinations of inspiration, where consumers could explore and immerse themselves in the brand’s world of design,’ said Rachael Terrace, Chief Commercial & Growth Officer of Marquee Brands.
‘In partnership with NEXT, a leading retail partner for the brand, we are proud to reintroduce this experience in a refreshed retail concept. This opening represents a significant milestone in Laura Ashley’s return to the UK retail market.’
The opening coincides with what would have been the real Laura Ashley’s 100th birthday.
To celebrate the occasion, Laura Ashley is going all out with several new product launches throughout the year, including a special edition candle made with Freckleface called Vintage 100, inspired by the Laura Ashley bramble logo and the OG Laura’s favourite flower, the English rose.
Will you be making a trip to the new Laura Ashley store later this year?
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