One store has been taking liberties with its designs to create an exciting new range, says
wendy jack
Throughout its 125-year history, Liberty - set up when Queen Victoria was on the throne and Disraeli was Prime Minister - has successfully endured, retaining its up-market image of classical style and distinctive design. It is no mean feat in today's fickle and changing world.
Faithfully remaining constant within Liberty's designs, whatever the period, have been the perennially popular Paisley patterns. Originally inspired by Kashmiri shawls, the patterns were recreated in their familiar, distinctive style in the Scotttish town which gave them their name.
Last spring, Liberty launched its Tana Lifestyle Collection, a new range of homewares designed by Sally Tulloch. Its latest autumn/winter collection is now making its appearance in shops.
Professor Clare Johnston, head of Liberty's design studio which has a team of eight designers, says: ''Our archives go back to 1875. The new home range draws heavily on these, taking designs which have been created over the years, updating them and sometimes teaming several together on individual pieces within the collection.''
Always leaning in the direction of understatement rather than overstatement, the innovation of teaming a number of these designs has worked well, bringing a fresh, gently voguish look. The fine Tana Lawn cotton, so comfortable to wear, has been used throughout the range.
Three main areas of the home are covered within the collection: bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. You will find, for example, pyjamas and kimonos with matching slippers complete with their own little bag; duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases and towels, either embroidered or trimmed in fabric; bath hats and vanity bags, cushions, tablecloths and napkins, oven gloves and teacosies as well as a range of haberdashery such as pin cushions.
And the price range? Broad. From #3.95 for a facecloth to #25 for a teacosy. From #9.95 for a lavender bag to #15 for a bath hat. A Tana Lawn-trimmed double duvet cover costs #99, with an embroidered version priced at #125 for the same size - and there's a splendid throw-over-style quilt at #350. Pyjamas and kimono are respectively priced at #89 and #79, while slippers-in-a-bag cost #25 - the latter three are available by mail order only.
Among the haberdashery items this autumn are a roll-up sewing bag at #16.95 and a choice of unusual pin cushions in shapes such as an armchair and a tailor's dummy, both priced at #12.95. There is also stationery, such as a pocket book at #10, and a large photo album at #45. There's a limited range of toiletries too. wrapped soaps at #4.95, with Liberty's exclusive Windflower cologne costing #15.
The colours in the autumn/winter collection, in keeping with the season, are subtle and mellow.
Liberty's marketing department waxes quite lyrical in describing them: ''Warm orchard colours of blackcurrant, cranberry and plum, cut with ripe apple greens and spriggy, frosty monochromes, textural golden flax sets fire to smokey Paisleys...geometric 1950s prints, recoloured by the Liberty Studio, in comfortable browns and blues.''
Take one trio of designs which has been brought together in a successful marriage - a Paisley pattern sits side-by-side with a floral print, then a pebble design has been added for good measure.
The first two draw on subtly reworked designs of the 1920s and 1940s, while the pebble pattern, though quite recent apparently, is strongly reminiscent of the 1950s. The previous management of Liberty oversaw the closure of many of the company's shops a number of years ago, including those in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The current management, however, is now striving to regain its place in the retail market-place, through shops within shops, such as that in Frasers, Glasgow.
So, what is a typical Liberty customer profile? Professor Johnston says: ''We aim our ranges at a 35-year old woman who is aware of fashion, but not a slave to it. She is individual, admires distinctiveness, likes to make a statement, and she is tired of the 'me too' brands. Liberty appeals to someone who is willing to stand out from the crowd.''
Interestingly, Liberty is revered in Japan, where companies such as it and Burberry are required to twin with a Japanese company in order to get a toehold in the country's retail sector, and be able to trade.
Stephen Jessey, head of marketing at Liberty, says: ''We have teamed up with Seibu, a national retail chain in Japan, to offer our merchandise there. Japanese women are enthusiastic about our products.''
Here in Britain, Jessey says, the Lifestyle collection's appeal has been ''growing steadily since the first of the new range of homewares was launched in spring. More will follow next year.''
Liberty Tana Lifestyle Collection is available from Frasers, Buchanan Street, Glasgow.
For further information on Liberty's mail order service, contact Liberty By Post on 01392 429 451.
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