I’ve been accidentally collecting vintage Laura Ashley for a while (see Exhibit A, the below image of me prancing around in vintage LA at The Manor—Laura Ashley’s fancy hotel in Elstree). As a charity shop obsessive, it’s easily done, as many people view the chintzy florals of a 1980s Laura Ashley dress a throwback too far, so they’re in plentiful supply in secondhand shops. But now an unexpected collaboration with hipster brand Urban Outfitters may well have made Laura Ashley botanicals cool again.
“We collaborated with Laura Ashley to respond to the increased demand for vintage-inspired pieces from our customer,” said Malika Zagzoule, the Buying Director at Urban Outfitters Europe.
“All of the pieces in the range have been designed in classic Laura Ashley prints to rework the brand’s aesthetic with a modern day twist appealing to a new generation who can experience the world of this sought-after 90s brand.”
It’s a tight capsule collection of selected prints, but the new silhouettes are bang on the money, tapping perfectly into this season’s prairie girl trend. And that’s exactly how I envision wearing these pieces: with battered cowboy boots, a faded blue denim jacket and maybe a daisy chain or two in my hair. And if it sells out as fast as I predict, there’s always the charity shops to turn to, right?
The Laura Ashley x Urban Outfitters collection is available in store and online from 4th May 2019 | Prices range from £28 to £89 | urbanoutfitters.com |
