[1] She told The Sunday Times in 2004, "Following my father around the markets taught me how to make quick decisions about what was or was not worth buying.
"[2] Ashwell began a career in her native England as a wardrobe and prop stylist doing TV commercials and photo shoots.
[6][7] The New York Times, on the Encyclopædia Britannica, in its annual trend roundup in 1992, recognised Ashwell's company and her signature product, the slipcover, writing, "not the trim, well-fitting kind, but sloppy, wrinkled ones dubbed 'Shabby Chic' by a California company of the same name.
"[11] As reported in The New York Times early in 2009, after 20 years in business, Ashwell's company filed bankruptcy,[12] which caused her to re-evaluate.
That "redux" came in the form of an investor partner, which teamed with Rachel Ashwell to give the brand new life.
The re-invented Shabby Chic Brands developed a new business model that expanded the line to include moderately-priced collections to be sold nationwide.