Laura Ashley to improve fashion offer

Fashion and homeware retailer Laura Ashley is to improve its fashion offer. The British company, which last month was accused of squeezing its suppliers, saw encouraging sales figures, though its fashion division saw a loss. Sales of clothing and

accessories were down by 5.6 percent, while like-for-likes declined by 4.8 percent.

The company pledged to overhaul its clothing offer in order to revive sales.

Rather than blame unseasonal weather, a convenient scapegoat for many clothing retailers over the past 12 months, the company has attributed its poor performance to its product mix.

Out of touch with demographic
Although Laura Ashley has made efforts to modernise its ranges in order to broaden its appeal, this has not truly resonated with its core demographic.

The company says it must further reassess how to remain on-trend and appeal to younger shoppers, while at the same time not alienating its older, more traditional customers.

Laura Ashley was a Welsh fashion designer and businesswoman. She originally made furnishing materials in the 1950 and later expanded into clothing design and manufacture in the 1960s.

The Laura Ashley style is characterized by Romantic English designs—often with a 19th-century rural feel—and the use of natural fabrics.

Image: Laura Ashley fashion
Source: Verdict Research