In 1875 a small shop opened in Regent Street London called Liberty & Co. This was the dream of an Englishman Arthur Lasenby Liberty, a man of great vision and artistic skills who until his death in 1917 played a leading part in the growth and achievements of a wonderful department store.

Arthur Liberty spent many years travelling to Eastern parts of the world gaining inspiration for the development of his store and he would bring home beautiful rugs and fabrics from these countries. He involved William Morris and other famous artists of the 19th century in the designing of rugs and materials. Some of these early designs are still used today.

The name Liberty of London is now synonymous with quality oriental rugs, furnishing and dress fabrics jewellery and accessories, not to mention the famous and fascinating stores which house their products in Regent and Marlborough Streets.

In 1984 the label Christabel was launched when a boutique in Newmarket Auckland N.Z. ordered 25 Liberty Lawn nightdresses by Christabel Tylee. Later the nightdresses were sold at Kirkcaldie and Staines Ltd in Wellington and from these beginnings the business began.

There was a space in the marketplace for quality, fine handwork, originality and cotton fabric in women's nightwear and Christabel nightdresses fitted this space.

Still selling at the top of the nightwear market today, every effort is made to keep the standard of workmanship as high as possible. The Christabel label is now shown on women's shirts, children's dresses and casual French designed hats. In store, in addition to Christabel's extensive range of Liberty fabrics, is a selection of exclusive handkerchiefs, specialist cards and a collection of patchwork pieces for this ever-growing market. The business has expanded considerably since 1993 when Christabel imported a greater quantity of Liberty Lawn and a selection of Liberty Wool to retail to home dressmakers.

For the first 20 years of Christabels an old cottage in Richard and Christabel's garden was the home of this cottage industry, but in 2004 the family and business moved to Havelock North where a new showroom was built. With a view to Te Mata Peak and the hills to the South and West, the business still has its roots in the N.Z. countryside.