The history of Libertys
Arthur Lasenby Liberty was born in Chesham, Buckinghamshire in 1843. He worked in Regent St at a shop called Messrs Farmer and Rogers, and left when he was 30 to start up a small shop of his own. He sold ornaments, fabric and objects d'art from Japan and the East in half a shop at 218a Regent St (he only could afford the second half of the shop eighteen months later!).
As the business grew neighbouring properties were bought and added and Liberty sourced his stock from all over the world. Liberty, the store, became the most fashionable place to shop in London and its clientele included members of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Rossetti, Leighton and Burne-Jones. In the 1890's Arthur Liberty used many leading English designers, many of which were key figures in the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements. Liberty commissioned work from his artistic friends throughout this period although he concealed the designer's identity in favour of the Liberty name. This tradition continues to this day and it was not until the 1960's that the identity of the key designers was discovered.
Compulsory renovation on the Crown owned land of London's Regent Street led Liberty to rebuild the famous East India House. The recommendation by Regent Street's authorities was that the buildings were to be in the Renaissance style. Liberty decided to distinguish his store from all the other Regent Street buildings by including a life size frieze of figures that gaze down on to the street below. Also included on the front of the building are four Japanese "Iohan", disciples of Buddha, which sits on a ledge on the first floor to either side of the main entrance. The more famous of the two buildings is the Tudor shop. The Tudor shop was built in 1924 from the timbers of two ships: HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan. The frontage at Great Marlborough is the same length as the Hindustan. Arthur Liberty wanted to create the feeling that you were walking around your own home when you came to his store, so each room was surrounded by smaller rooms to create a homely feel. Many of the rooms had fireplaces and some still exist today.
Sadly the founder of Liberty, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, died in 1917, seven years before the completion of his two magnificent shops. But the tradition continued.
Every decade has its new fashions and passions, and Liberty has been at the forefront of both. It showcases new designers and the ethos of Arthur Liberty is still maintained - 'Liberty is its own style'.
Liberty
Regent Street
London W1B 5AH
tel: 020 7734 1234
www.liberty.co.uk |
West
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