Llewelyn-Bowen launches new range with Blackburn firm (From This Is Lancashire)

Llewelyn-Bowen launches new range with Blackburn firm

7:10pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

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CELEBRITY decorator Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was in Blackburn today to launch his new line of East Lancashire-manufactured wallpapers and paints.

The flamboyant TV favourite has teamed up with Graham and Brown, the 64-year-old world-leading wallpaper firm, to design new decorating ranges backed by a £1million marketing campaign.

And he paid tribute to Lancashire’s enterprising spirit as he wowed scores of design experts from around the world at Graham and Brown’s headquarters in Harwood Street, Furthergate, Blackburn.

Mr Llewelyn-Bowen has collaborated with the firm for 10 years, a link-up which sees him pay regular visits to East Lancashire for design meetings.

He said: “Unveiling these new ranges was a fabulous, fabulous moment for me, especially after 10 years working with Graham and Brown.

“In that decade I have seen the company change too because back then wallpaper was not fashionable and now it is incredibly fashionable.

“I am enormously proud that these products have been made in Lancashire and using Lancastrian skills because this area has such a great heritage in manufacturing and leading the world.”

Yesterday’s launch, led by chief executive Andrew Graham, included 77 new wallpapers and 62 paints, the first in Graham and Brown’s history.

Mr Llewelyn-Bowen’s wallpapers included ‘Romance’, ‘Serene’ and ‘Berries’, colourful designs based on floral and fruit-based patterns.

He also unveiled textured designs and bold paint colours with names like ‘Lamb’s Wool’, ‘Touchy Tealey’ and ‘Clooney’.

Mr Graham, the grandson of co-founder Harold Graham, said: “Laurence is a fantastic and creative designer, and we were the very first company to work with him.

“He is now a friend of the business and we know that when we bring people like him in, they will supplement the great team we have in place in East Lancashire.

“We are very proud to be in Blackburn. This is where we have built up the company.”

Graham and Brown, which is still family-owned, employs 350 in Blackburn and last year had a turnover of more than £100million.