Once the dread of bridesmaids everywhere, the floral-clad, puff-sleeve silhouette of Laura Ashley‘s dresses has become synonymous with the chintzy romanticism of the ’80s. Set up by husband-and-wife team Bernard and Laura Ashley, the brand started out as a fabric company in 1953 and opened its first store in London in the late 1960s. As the inspiration for countless contemporary dress brands—Batsheva, O Pioneers and The Vampire’s Wife, to name a few—and with a collaboration with high-street brand Urban Outfitters under its belt, Laura Ashley and its iconic frocks remain as strong as ever 70 years later.
