Urban Outfitters x Laura Ashley: the unexpected collaboration you'll want to wear all summer

Turns out when millenial hipster and 80s mum collide, real magic happens
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Chloe Street3 May 2019

I’ll never forget my first Laura Ashley dress.

I was five, and the item in question was a sailor-collared, navy floral cotton number so swishy and perfect that my mum would struggle to get me to leave the house wearing anything else.

The brand, founded by Laura Ashley and her husband Bernard in 1953, had defined the floral, hippie aesthetic of the 70s and 80s, and had gone on to become, by my childhood, a high street go-to for feminine florals.

And yet at some point during the 90s, the chintzy, floral aesthetic of the quintessentially British bohemian brand became passé, and by the time I turned 10, my favourite dress was cast firmly aside in favour of ill-advised crop tops, vertiginous wedges and highly flammable cargo pants.

Fast forward to 2019 however, and romantic florals and ultra-feminine silhouettes are having a major resurgence. It is time, once again, for Laura Ashley to have twirl in the sun.

And what better way to make the brand feel relevant once again than a collaboration with the ultimate millennial high street retailer, Urban Outfitters?

Maisy dress, £45

Going on sale tomorrow is a nine-piece capsule collection that Urban Outfitters has designed in partnership with the OG ditsy floral brand. Not only have they dug up some of Laura Ashley’s most iconic prints, but they have printed them on puff sleeve baby doll dresses, organza ruffle blouses and even cycling shorts to ensure this is a collection that feels bang up to date.

Penelope dres £45

“We collaborated with Laura Ashley to respond to the increased demand for vintage-inspired pieces from our customer,” says Malika Zagzoule, Buying Director at Urban Outfitters Europe. “All of the pieces in the range have been designed in classic Laura Ashley prints to rework the brand’s aesthetic with a modern day twist appealing to a new generation who can experience the world of this sought-after 90’s brand.”

Bella Dress, £49

And honestly, it might be a tight capsule, but it proves that there’s a Laura Ashley print for every occasion.

Lucille bouse, £32. Christy bike short, 328

The puff sleeve Lucille blouse, which comes with matching cycling shorts, will be my grown-up festival look, while the ruffled transparent organza tie-front Winona blouse is just begging to be taken to a buzzing Balearic beach bar.

Winona Blouse, £34

Need a wedding guest dress? The turquoise and pink floral Georgia midi perfectly treads the line between fancy and fun– and for the Pimms fund-friendly sum of £85.

Georgia dress, £85

Word of advice? Act fast, this one will sell out quicker than you can say itty bitty floral print.

The Laura Ashley x Urban Outfitters collection hits stores and online on May 4, with prices ranging from £28 to £89.

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