Legendary London Shops; Liberty
February 6th 2008 12:40
Small, old-world and rather rustic, Liberty’s store seems oddly out of step with the heavy stone and concrete edifices of Oxford Circus. Although it isn’t half as busy as its modern counterparts, or as famous as Harrods, it is nonetheless, a very important and very special part of London’s history .
In 1875, draper Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened his first shop on Regent Street. Selling high quality oriental silks, ornaments and objets d’art from the East, it attracted a discerning clientele with a taste for the foreign and the exotic. The artists Ruskin, Rosetti and Whistler were among Liberty’s first customers. Soon the store began to manufacture and print its own fabrics, with designs by artists like William Morris. With their high quality silks and satins and their subtle and artistic colours, Liberty prints were highly regarded as dress fabrics, especially during the years from 1890 to 1920. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Liberty’s had a considerable influence on contemporary trends in style and design, such as the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau, which was so closely associated with the store that it became known in Italy as “Stile Liberty”.
In 1925, after Liberty had outgrown its original premises on Regent Street, it moved to the present Tudor revival Arts and Crafts building on Great Marlborough Street. The timbers used in its construction were taken from two British naval ships, the HMS Impregnable and the HMS Hindustan. The store’s quaint “country-house” exterior continues into the interior which is small, intimate and “old-world” with dark wooden counters and display cases, polished floors, stairs and decorative elevators. It curves around several wooden balconied, "mock-Tudor" style atriums with glass roofs.
Today Liberty sells designer fashions and accessories along with other merchandise typical of the modern department store. It has, however, retained its dedication to fine quality and service along with its original style and traditions. Liberty also maintains its historic links with arts and crafts, selling original stationery, pottery, jewellery and furniture of the highest quality. On its top floor, it houses the period Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Arts and Crafts furniture which it so greatly influenced. It still sells the hand-blocked silks and other oriental goods for which it was known when it first opened in 1875. And the beautiful liberty prints are still a hallmark of the house.
Among modern department stores, Liberty’s remains unique. There is no musak, there are no swooping escalators or pervading aromas from restaurants and cafes (Liberty’s Champagne and Oyster Bar is tucked away discreetly below) and best of all, there is space, even between the sale racks. Buying or simply browsing (it must be said that Liberty’s price tags do not suit every wallet) the Liberty’s shopping experience is like no other – think - beautiful things in a lovely and tranquil setting.
Liberty of London
In 1875, draper Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened his first shop on Regent Street. Selling high quality oriental silks, ornaments and objets d’art from the East, it attracted a discerning clientele with a taste for the foreign and the exotic. The artists Ruskin, Rosetti and Whistler were among Liberty’s first customers. Soon the store began to manufacture and print its own fabrics, with designs by artists like William Morris. With their high quality silks and satins and their subtle and artistic colours, Liberty prints were highly regarded as dress fabrics, especially during the years from 1890 to 1920. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Liberty’s had a considerable influence on contemporary trends in style and design, such as the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau, which was so closely associated with the store that it became known in Italy as “Stile Liberty”.
In 1925, after Liberty had outgrown its original premises on Regent Street, it moved to the present Tudor revival Arts and Crafts building on Great Marlborough Street. The timbers used in its construction were taken from two British naval ships, the HMS Impregnable and the HMS Hindustan. The store’s quaint “country-house” exterior continues into the interior which is small, intimate and “old-world” with dark wooden counters and display cases, polished floors, stairs and decorative elevators. It curves around several wooden balconied, "mock-Tudor" style atriums with glass roofs.
Today Liberty sells designer fashions and accessories along with other merchandise typical of the modern department store. It has, however, retained its dedication to fine quality and service along with its original style and traditions. Liberty also maintains its historic links with arts and crafts, selling original stationery, pottery, jewellery and furniture of the highest quality. On its top floor, it houses the period Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Arts and Crafts furniture which it so greatly influenced. It still sells the hand-blocked silks and other oriental goods for which it was known when it first opened in 1875. And the beautiful liberty prints are still a hallmark of the house.
Among modern department stores, Liberty’s remains unique. There is no musak, there are no swooping escalators or pervading aromas from restaurants and cafes (Liberty’s Champagne and Oyster Bar is tucked away discreetly below) and best of all, there is space, even between the sale racks. Buying or simply browsing (it must be said that Liberty’s price tags do not suit every wallet) the Liberty’s shopping experience is like no other – think - beautiful things in a lovely and tranquil setting.
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