The company enjoyed huge success on the back of this, and by 1970, sales had reached £300,000. More shops had opened too, with the Fulham Road branch selling 4,000 dresses in one week alone!

Licensing operations brought about the opening of department store concessions in Australia, Canada and Japan in 1971, while further shops opened in Paris and San Francisco in 1974, and UK shop openings continued with a vengeance.

By 1975 the company had grown faster than anyone could have predicted - turnover had increased to £5 million per year, and the company now employed 1,000 people worldwide.

A Queen’s Award for Export was given to the company in 1977, and turnover reached £25 million in 1979 as the company celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching a new range of perfumes. At this time Laura began to shift her attention from fashion back to fabrics, and the company launched its first full home furnishings ranges, which have continued to grow to this day.

Tragedy struck however in 1985, when Laura died as a result of a fall down some stairs while visiting her children. The business felt her loss profoundly, but her strong values and design ethos remain with the company. The enthusiasm and affection felt for the company was demonstrated two months after Laura’s death, when a planned public floatation of Laura Ashley Holdings plc was 34 times oversubscribed.