Biography of Laura Ashley

Born in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales (1925–85) as Laura Mountney. Married Bernard Ashley in 1949 and started a business manufacturing furnishing materials and wallpaper with patterns based upon document sources mainly from the 19th century. After giving up work to start a family she experimented with designing and making clothes, and this transformed the business into an international chain of boutiques, selling clothes, furnishing fabrics and wallpapers.