Rocking the floral! Vintage Laura Ashley dresses go under the hammer

A delightful collection of 47 Laura Ashley dresses from the late 1970s and early 1980s is to be auctioned at Chilcotts July sale.

The assortment of dresses, all owned from new by the seller from Charmouth, includes classic floral and plain Laura Ashley frocks, plus bespoke dresses - and several evening dresses and ballgowns.

Liz Chilcott says the dresses are totally wearable as they are in pristine condition and have clearly been well looked after by their owner.

“These dresses are timeless. Some are from the earlier era of production at Laura Ashley, made in Wales and featuring exquisite detail such as covered buttons and piping – Esme and Patrick from Sewing Bee would be impressed!  

“They are all either size 10 or 12, although as sizes have altered over the years I would say they are closer to the current size  8 or 10 .”

The Laura Ashley story goes back to the 1950s, when Laura and husband Bernard began making headscarves, napkins and tea towels using a silk screen. Audrey Hepburn wore a Laura Ashley headscarf in the 1953 film Roman Holiday, and this is likely to have helped drive the success of the brand.

The business started making women’s outfits for work and in 1966 Laura made her first dress to be worn outside of work. Shops opened in South Kensington, Bath and Shrewsbury - eventually there were over 70, plus worldwide shops and concessions including Paris and San Francisco. Laura, who was born in Merthyr Tydfil, always stayed true to her roots, and manufacture was at various locations in Wales.

Sadly, Laura died in an accident in 1985, and in 2021 all stores were closed after the business went into administration. Home furnishings are still available online through Laura Ashley at Next, while vintage Laura Ashley dresses remain popular across different generations due to their iconic look and lasting quality. 

At the July 17 auction at the Dolphin Saleroom in Honiton High Street, the dresses will be sold as lots of five with an estimate of £80-120 (plus Buyers Premium) per lot. They are currently on view at the saleroom and local shoppers have already had the chance to admire them. “I’ve been putting some of them in the window display and they’ve attracted lots of interest from passers-by!” says Liz.

For more information contact 01404 47783 or visit www.chilcottsauctions.co.uk