Ashley, Laura

   b. 1925, Merthyr Tydfil; d. 1985

   Fashion designer

   Laura Ashley was one of the best-known names in British fashion. A self-taught designer, she started her own company in 1953, selling printed scarves, tea towels and aprons. In 1969 she developed a clothing range including smocks and dresses in traditional feminine shapes and simple floral prints, which epitomized her distinctive style and nostalgically evoked a lost world of pastoral England. From the late 1960s her stores in Britain and around the world were extraordinarily successful, and the company also developed soft furnishing and home decor ranges. The company’s fortunes have been variable since her death, and the Laura Ashley style has been updated to fit more sophisticated modern trends.

   TAMSIN SPARGO