Bravissimo (company)

Bravissimo
Industry Retail
Founded 1995
Headquarters Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
Products Lingerie
Website www.bravissimo.com

Bravissimo is a lingerie retailer that provides lingerie and swimwear in D+ cup sizes. They currently have 21 stores across the UK and also sell via mail order and online.[1] They are based in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and currently employ over 700 people.[2] Bravissimo also sell clothing under the Pepperberry brand which was launched in March 2011.[3]

History

Bravissimo Store

Founder Sarah Tremellen began as a freelance TV and Radio researcher for the BBC before quitting eight months later aged 25 to have a baby. Whilst pregnant, Sarah found it difficult to find a good choice of bras that fit her when she went up to a G Cup.[4]

In 1995 after giving birth, Sarah and her friend Hannah Griffiths tried to do something about it. They decided to take an eight week business course which culminated in presenting a business plan to their local bank manager. Their presentation won them a £10,000 bank loan to help them start Bravissimo.[5]

Working in Sarah's living room of her Twickenham flat, they made a catalogue to sell by mail order with all the best bras they could find and started a mailing list of around 75 people - mostly friends and family. Sarah then telephoned several women's magazines and newspapers, and within a month got coverage in the Daily Mail bringing in 1,000 requests for a catalogue.[6]

In 1996 they were able to move out of Sarah's Twickenham flat and 12 months later Sarah and her husband Mike bought Hannah out of the business.[7] In November 1999, Bravissimo opened its first shop in Ealing which is one of the 21 stores nationwide they currently operate.[8] The next year Sarah's husband Mike left his job at Tetley to become the business operations director.[9]

In 2001 Bravissimo relocated to their current headquarters in Leamington Spa.[10]

Awards

Bravissimo has been in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for list for since 2007 when they came 19th [11] and most recently in 2012 they were awarded 10th place.[12] The list rates a company's performance on 8 key factors which takes into account things such as pay, leadership, social impact and personal growth.[13] They were awarded 99th, 26th,[14] 24th[15] and 8th[16] place respectively between 2008 - 2011.

In 2011 Bravissimo was nominated for the Multiple Retailer of the Year award at the UK Lingerie Awards[17] but lost out to Agent Provocateur (lingerie).[18]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.drapersonline.com/multiples/pepperberry-helps-spice-up-bravissimo-performance/5032601.article
  2. ↑ http://www.bestcompaniesguide.co.uk/company_profile.aspx?CompanySurveyID=44695
  3. ↑ http://www.bravissimo.com/pepperberry/about
  4. ↑ http://warwickshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/sarah-tremellen-founder-of-bravissimo-3168/
  5. ↑ http://www.mybusiness.co.uk/YWsn46ZofDymQQ.html
  6. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2835354/Starting-Out.html
  7. ↑ http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2008/12/31/bravissimo-founder-honoured-with-mbe-after-starting-firm-from-home-65233-22579050/
  8. ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2835354/Starting-Out.html
  9. ↑ http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2008/12/31/bravissimo-founder-honoured-with-mbe-after-starting-firm-from-home-65233-22579050/#ixzz1sV1muiy0
  10. ↑ http://warwickshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/sarah-tremellen-founder-of-bravissimo-3168/
  11. ↑ http://www.bestcompanies.co.uk/survey_list.aspx?Survey=15&Size=27
  12. ↑ http://www.queensarcade.info/click-here-for-more-news/4-the-news/231-bravissimo-proud-to-be-10th-best-in-uk.html
  13. ↑ http://www.bestcompanies.co.uk/Methodology.aspx
  14. ↑ http://hi.baidu.com/xiulinch/blog/item/cf3e3945e9221a8ab3b7dc67.html
  15. ↑ http://universityguru.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/100-best-companies-to-work-for-2010.html
  16. ↑ http://www.lingerieinsight.com/article-485-bravissimo-voted-8th-best-company-to-work-for/
  17. ↑ http://www.lingerieinsight.com/article-1038-uk-lingerie-awards-finalists-revealed/
  18. ↑ http://www.uklingerieawards.com/09/multiple-retailer-of-the-year/

External links