Laura Ashley and Mamas & Papas are working together on a new design partnership. The collaboration is an example of the partnership and licensing-led approach that Laura Ashley owner Gordon Brothers set out earlier this year as it looks to expand the Laura Ashley brand.
Mamas & Papas and Laura Ashley, both UK-based brands, are developing a collection that will launch next spring, to mark Laura Ashley’s 70th anniversary year. Available in both brands’ international stores, it will use Laura Ashley archive prints on baby clothing, bedding, toys and two pushchairs.
Sonia Kelly, product director at Mamas & Papas says: “Our new collaboration is a perfect match, both Mamas and Papas and Laura Ashley were born from the belief of creating new & beautiful products that could not be found elsewhere. We have a joint synergy, family being at the very heart of our ethos and both believe in the art of storytelling always ensuring beautiful detailing and design in everything we create.
‘Looking back into the Laura Ashley archive we have selected iconic prints from the collection to sit across both hard and soft goods and brought them alive to create contemporary heirlooms for a new generation.”
Poppy Marshall-Lawton, vice president of Laura Ashley says: “We are so happy to be working with Mamas & Papas to launch the Laura Ashley nursery and children’s products that will be distributed internationally. With family and home at the heart of our business, this new partnership will bring the Laura Ashley brand to new consumers at a very special time in their lives. As we work towards our 70th anniversary, Laura Ashley continues to grow our network of carefully selected global partnerships.”
When Laura Ashley last year launched a collection in partnership with Next, its owner Gordon Brothers – which bought the brand, archives and IP in April 2020, said that working with Next was an effective way to reach its customers. Tobias Nanda, president, brands at Gordon Brothers said at the time: “The NEXT partnership is the perfect way to reconnect the brand with its customers and develop new opportunities that will take Laura Ashley forward into new sectors.”
Since then the company has partnered with IMG to create new clothing, footwear, accessories, homeware items and other products through a range of licensing and retail partnerships.
