Press Release | 15 May 2023
Laura Ashley partners with Basford Brands to launch soft furnishings in Australia and New Zealand
Iconic home and lifestyle brand Laura Ashley today announced a new partnership with homeware company Basford Brands to launch a soft furnishings range in Australia and New Zealand, in a deal facilitated by Laura Ashley’s licensing representative IMG.
The exclusive partnership will see products including exclusive and signature prints on Manchester, Cushions, Throws, Curtains, and Made-to-Measure fabric designs launch in the coming months in homeware and soft-furnishing retailers across Australia and New Zealand.
With an inspiring start-up story built upon entrepreneurial ambition, craft, creation and traditional values of quality and originality, Laura Ashley remains synonymous with beauty and design. As the well-loved Basford Brands aims to develop Laura Ashley’s iconic prints and signature colour palette, capturing in-demand trends while celebrating the traditional quality and value of the brand’s designs.
Carolyn D’Angelo, Senior Managing Director, Gordon Brothers Brands and President of Laura Ashley Global, said, "As we celebrate 70 years of Laura Ashley, we are continuing to grow our network of carefully selected and like-minded global partnerships to celebrate our iconic prints from the past seven decades. As industry leaders, this new partnership with Basford Brands is a perfect fit to reintroduce the Laura Ashley brand back to Australia with a brand-new collection developed especially for this market."
“Our two teams have done an outstanding job of developing a new range of in demand soft-furnishing products that merge modern design with the undeniable British charm of the historic Laura Ashley brand,” said Pip Collins, Australia/New Zealand Sales Manager, Packaged Division of Basford Brands.
Tim Smith, Senior Vice President of Licensing, IMG, said, “We are delighted to further expand Laura Ashley’s presence in Australia and New Zealand, two valued markets for the brand. This is an important addition in Laura Ashley’s expanding global portfolio of products and partners, as the brand’s ever-green designs continue to resonate with customers around the world.”
About Basford Brands
With over 80 years' experience, Basford Brands is a dynamic and innovative designer and marketer of soft furnishings and homewares. At Basford Brands, we specialise in the acquisition and development of brand-based homewares. Whether it be our iconic soft furnishings labels, major retail home brand development, or the distribution of international heritage brands - Basford Brands offers a range of solutions to meet its customer's needs.
About Laura Ashley
Established in London in 1953, Laura Ashley is one of the world’s best-loved fashion and home furnishings brands. Currently, Laura Ashley offers a complete range of lifestyle products, including home furnishings and accessories, women’s sleepwear and accessories, children's apparel, and hospitality experiences. Gordon Brothers, the global advisory and investment firm, acquired the global Laura Ashley brand, archives and related intellectual property in 2020.
About Gordon Brothers
Since 1903, Gordon Brothers (www.gordonbrothers.com) has helped lenders, management teams, advisors and investors move forward through change. The firm brings a powerful combination of expertise and capital to clients, developing customized solutions on an integrated or standalone basis across four services areas: valuations, dispositions, financing, and investment. Whether to fuel growth or facilitate strategic consolidation, Gordon Brothers partners with companies in the retail, commercial and industrial sectors to provide maximum liquidity, put assets to their highest and best use and mitigate liabilities. The firm conducts more than $100 billion worth of dispositions and appraisals annually and provides both short- and long-term capital to clients undergoing transformation. Gordon Brothers lends against and invests in brands, real estate, inventory, receivables, machinery, equipment, and other assets, both together and individually, to provide clients liquidity solutions beyond its market-leading disposition and appraisal services. The firm is headquartered in Boston, with over 30 offices across five continents.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events, and media. The company manages some of the world’s greatest athletes and fashion icons; owns and operates hundreds of live events annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in licensing, sports training, and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.
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