Personal Life
Laura and Sir Bernard were a great complement to each other, both inside the business, and in their personal lives. Laura had four children, and loved family life, but the expansion of the business meant the need for an escape point, and for creativity. They bought a house in France in the early 1970s. Sir Bernard's qualification as a pilot enabled them to keep in touch with family and business.
The Ashley children were all involved with the business. David (born 1954/55), the eldest son, designed the shops; one of the daughters, Jane was the company photographer; another daughter Emma and their second son Nick were part of the company's fashion design team. Sir Bernard Ashley was the company chairman and Laura kept a close eye on fabrics. The astonishing success of what proved to be the ultimate cottage industry, meant that the Ashleys could afford a yacht, a private plane, a French chateau in Picardy, a town-house in Brussels, and the villa Contenta in Lyford Cay, New Providence, Bahamas, later purchased for $8.5 million dollars by T. J. Maloney.
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