
The business was founded by Arthur Lasenby Liberty in 1875 to sell ornaments, fabrics (for which it became specially famous) and miscellaneous objets d'art from Japan and the Far East. Liberty & Co first catered for an ecletic mix of popular styles, but then went on to develop a fundamentally different style closely linked to Art Nouveau and the Aesthetic movement of the 1890s. The company became synonymous with this new style, to the extent that in Italy, Art Nouveau became known as the "Stile Liberty".
The shop sells up to date fashions, cosmetics, accessories, gifts, etc. In addition to its homewares and furniture.
Liberty has its own team of window dressers and is known for imaginative and often surreal window displays, especially at Christmas.
Since 1988, Liberty has had a subsidiary in Japan which sells Liberty branded products in leading Japanese shops.
It also sells Liberty fabrics to international and local fashion brands with bases in Japan.