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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think Laura Ashley have gone downhill?

45 replies

loveka · 14/05/2018 17:46

I've bought lots of Laura Ashley lights in the past- 18 years ago I bought really solid brass lamps from them which still look great now.

I have just moved to a bigger house, so I bought some wall lights which looked great online and 2 table lamps.

They are utter shit, tinny, lightweight and cheap looking.

I also bought a dressing table mirror that looks like I won it in the fairground.

The wall lights were £45 each. So I have just bought some from Jim Lawrence instead which were £53 and will be loads better.

I think with such awful quality products they can't survive. What the hell has happened to them?

OP posts:

BurberryIsSo2000 · 14/05/2018 22:25

Ahh, Laura Ashley.

I dreamed of owning a nice little house full of Laura Ash, when I was about 16/17.

I have a few home accessories from there but nothing else. I have a big wicker type basket with a belt over it for fastening. The belt is hideous quality, the wicker feels cheap.

I asked for a refund and they were having courier collection issues so told me to keep it and refunded me too.

I do love their children's bedding though. They have this lovely dinosaur collection, DS is only 6 months old but I'm tempted to buy it and put it away for when he's older.

Tobebythesea · 15/05/2018 06:29

I heard such bad things about their customer service which has totally put me off. My local out of town shop has a permanent sale.

WanderingTrolley1 · 15/05/2018 06:34

LA has gone down hill, massively.

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 15/05/2018 06:42

I have a LA vintage dress. It is a thing of beauty - gorgeous fabric, beautifully cut and immaculately sewn. It doesn't fit me but I will not part with it. There is nothing in their shops these days that comes close.

And the shops assistants in our local shop have no idea what customer service is. Shame.

keepingbees · 15/05/2018 06:54

We have a large out of town LA here, it's always advertising a sale, always empty and positioned right next to B&M. I love browsing but their prices are just silly, people aren't going to pay it especially when they can go next door and get half the stuff for a fraction of the price.
I wanted a couple of photo frames that were in their sale. I had to go through the whole display of them to find one that wasn't covered in scratches, and even the best two I bought were slightly scuffed.
I love their wallpaper but have seen the bad reviews so I'm wary. I've seen no end of complaints about their customer service on Facebook. Sadly I think they are on the way out.

MissReginaPhilange · 15/05/2018 07:02

If your after cushions curtains etc it actuall7 is much better to buy 5he Laura Ashley fabric and make your own

Accountant222 · 15/05/2018 07:03

It's a shame they've gone downhill, they were a British institution. Constant sales is an indicator of serious financial problems.

Don't start me on the wallpaper, decorator put some on my sitting room, looked perfect, then next day it had slightly shrunk, so tiny gaps between the joins, they gave me a full refund but not for the decorators time, many of them won't touch it now and tell you, if it's LA paper find someone else to put it on.

MyYoniFromHull · 15/05/2018 07:06

I stopped going when they stopped doing kids clothes my DD had some lovely things from there but it's not the same now.

I too used to dream of wardrobes from there

dingdongdigeridoo · 15/05/2018 11:50

There’s a big branch near me on an out of town shopping centre. It’s grim. Massive shop that’s always empty, shelves are stuffed with sale items, it feels very downmarket.

But at least I’ll never have to wear another LA bridesmaids dress! Mine was floral and had puffy sleeves and I still have flashbacks.

bertiesgal · 15/05/2018 13:06

Lovely throw and cushions for our bed-within a few weeks (no exaggeration) they were falling apart.

Embarrassed to admit I that I never pursued it but so disappointing!

5foot5 · 15/05/2018 13:40

I bought a skirt from Laura Ashley for my first date with DH - 33 years ago! I loved that skirt, the material was beautiful. Once I felt the style was too young for me could no longer fit in to a size 10 I still couldn't bring myself to part with it.

It ended up in a craft project when I made a rag doll for DD and used the skirt fabric to make it a lovely pinafore dress. I think I still have some fragments left somewhere which will no doubt turn up in a patchwork or bunting or something similar one day.

And Oh my I still remember the sailor style dress I bought there in the early 80s which I thought was quite the thing and SO well made.

Lucisky · 15/05/2018 14:11

Dingdong- I wore a LA bridesmaids dress like that, puffy sleeves and all!
I used to love their stuff 30 odd years ago, and the catalogue was a household wish list for me. How times have changed.
I have bought quite a bit of furniture from The Cotswold Collection, and have been very happy with it to date.

MintyChops · 15/05/2018 17:15

I loved their clothes 30 years ago, shirts with frilly collars and amazing floral printed skirts. Now they are crap, and they seem to only have an outlet shop here in Dublin, they closed down on Grafton St a few years ago.....

5foot5 · 15/05/2018 17:25

MintyChops Yup that pretty much describes the outfit I bought for my first date!

MintyChops · 15/05/2018 17:26

5foof5, weren’t they just LOVELY!

PickAChew · 15/05/2018 17:31

I have some garratt chestnut furniture, too, and while the wood is quite soft, it is really lovely. I bought another piece before I was ready for it, last month (40%off) because I'm worried they won't last the year.

anothergreentomato · 15/05/2018 17:32

Will never buy again after really terrible customer service around delivery followed by the furniture half falling apart after 6 months... I never understand why some businesses choose to have rubbish customer service and ignore genuine and valid complaints.

ihatethecold · 16/05/2018 06:57

I put up their wallpaper in my bedroom last year.
It went on I’m and still looks good. It hasn’t shrunk.
I also like their paint.
When I bought too much wallpaper the shop didn’t quibble when I returned it for a refund.

wizzywig · 16/05/2018 09:11

Oh i thought it was just me that had had a couple of disappointing experiences with LA. Mine was just threads coming loose on a gorgeous throw, one that i anticipated should last more than 1 yr. They do have very pretty stuff though

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 16/05/2018 09:35

Agree with everyone. Got some 80s dresses for DD off ebay, mock victorian and edwardian styles, made in the UK and the quality is unbeleavable. Have never seen craftsmanship like it.
Got lots of bits for new house about 10 years ago, aging very well.

But the clothes design & quality started going down about 10 years ago, I was like 'what the hell IS this shit, why don't they stick to pretty things like they used to do so well' and I gravitated towards Cath Kidston and White Company for DC (when I could afford it).

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