Laura Ashley in administration once again

History is repeating itself for the current owners of Laura Ashley’s Australian business.

After acquiring the fashion and home furniture company in 2016, when then-director Daryl Chait appointed administrators, the current owners have once again placed the brand into voluntary administration after finding the capital required to revive the brand too burdensome, according to a statement from administrators Craig Shepard and Leanne Chesser of KordaMentha Restructuring.

“The business has been hurt by the same factors affecting many other fashion retailers – a becalmed retail environment, rising fixed costs and fierce competition from online retailers,” Shepard said.

“The capital requirements to revive and grow the business became too burdensome as retail conditions became tougher.”

The administrators are now in the process of reviewing the shape of the business, calling for expressions of interest in buying the stock and licence and clearing as much stock as possible in the pre-Christmas period. The first meeting of creditors will be held in Melbourne on December 13.

Laura Ashley has 18 stores and 100 employees in Australia. The local business is run under a licence agreement with Laura Ashley in the UK, which is not affected by the administration process.

Laura Ashley was founded in England over 60 years ago by Laura and Bernard Ashley, who started printing fabric on their kitchen table after visiting a craft exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. They were inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s headscarves in the 1953 film Roman Holiday, and began producing scarves, then tea towels and placemats. The brand has maintained its classic English look as it has expanded into new catories.

Laura Ashley was introduced in Australia more than 35 years ago. At its peak, it had more than 45 stores Down Under.

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