Laura Ashley x Urban Outfitters

Laura Ashley is one of the most evocative brands in British fashion, conjuring up a pastoral idyll of rosy-cheeked cherubs in floral printed smock dresses larking about in sun-drenched English country gardens. It was popular with adults too: floral print dresses saw huge sales in the Seventies and Eighties, and even rode the wave of grunge into the Nineties.



Now a new collaboration is set to reignite fashion's love affair as vintage Laura Ashley prints are harmoniously paired with the modern-retro styling of Urban Outfitters. The collection taps into 2019's huge trend for modern romance and all things prairie and pastoral, with baby doll dresses, ruffled blouses and matching co-ords in a range of retro prints. Unsurprisingly, florals feature heavily.



Urban Outfitters is known for its vintage-inspired aesthetic, recycling trends of the recent past and adding a modern day spin, so as partnerships go this one makes a lot of sense. 'The collection is a nod to some of the most coveted trends for spring/summer 19 including square necklines, exaggerated sleeve detailing and prairie-inspired femme dressing,' says Malika Zagzoule, womenswear buying director at Urban Outfitters.



Happily, the collection covers everything you could need for the summer: bold floral printed cycling shorts and cropped blouson co-ords are perfect for a festival; a voluminous off-the-shoulder dress will see you through a summer of events; while a ditsy cornflower print shirt dress adds a feminine boost to your work wardrobe. There's even floral printed swimwear separates to keep things blooming on holiday.



To bring the retro look right up to date, Zagzoule shares her styling advice: 'We would style the range with chunky summer sandals, such as Tevas or Dr Martens, and a Perspex bag for an effortless summer look.'

See the Laura Ashley x Urban Outfitters collection in full here