Pretty Polly (hosiery)
Encyclopedia
Pretty Polly is a British brand of women's tights based in Daybrook
, Nottinghamshire
.
, near Mansfield
in Nottinghamshire. In 1927 they took over a hosiery wholesaling company that was previously owned by the daughter of a bookmaker who had gained financially from the racehorse Pretty Polly. The Pretty Polly trademark had a parrot as a logo, from another use of the word 'polly'. By 1957, the brand was number two in the UK and the company was bought by Thomas Tilling, who also owned much of the Walton Hosiery company in Sutton-in-Ashfield, which owned the Ballerina hosiery brand. The two companies were merged in 1961 as Pretty Polly Holdings Ltd.
were introduced, which avoided the need for suspender belts, and were even featured on Tomorrow's World
. It depended on the invention in 1899 of silicone
by Professor Frederick Kipping
at University College Nottingham
. In the late 1960s, Pretty Polly was the best-selling range of hosiery in the UK, with a market share of 20%. In 1982, lycra
(invented in 1959) was introduced.
, to keep up with demand
. In August 1991 the company was bought from BTR by the American Sara Lee Corporation for $187m who merged it with Elbeo in 1993. The company employed around 2,000 workers at this time. In 2005 when the company was owned by Sara Lee Courtaulds, production was moved from Unwin Road in Sutton in Ashfield to a 'state of the art
' factory on Bridge Foot (A517) in Belper
. In May 2006, Sara Lee sold all of its lingerie brands to PD Enterprise, as part of a company known as Courtaulds Legwear.
modelled for the company, then in 1998, Eva Herzigová
became the face (and legs) of Pretty Polly advertising. Sara Cox
also modelled their hosiery. In 1999 the company launched their first bras, known as bbras.
In 2003, British singer Rachel Stevens
became the face of PP advertising.
by the Superbrands Council
.
Daybrook
Daybrook is a suburb of Arnold, Nottinghamshire. The area is located just outside the city of Nottingham but inside the conurbation of Greater Nottingham. It lies next to the areas of Arnold town centre, Sherwood, Woodthorpe, Redhill and Bestwood....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
.
History
The company began in 1919 when Harry Hibbert and Oswald Buckland built a factory in Sutton-in-AshfieldSutton-in-Ashfield
Sutton-in-Ashfield is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of around 43,000. It is situated four miles west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border.-Geography:...
, near Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
in Nottinghamshire. In 1927 they took over a hosiery wholesaling company that was previously owned by the daughter of a bookmaker who had gained financially from the racehorse Pretty Polly. The Pretty Polly trademark had a parrot as a logo, from another use of the word 'polly'. By 1957, the brand was number two in the UK and the company was bought by Thomas Tilling, who also owned much of the Walton Hosiery company in Sutton-in-Ashfield, which owned the Ballerina hosiery brand. The two companies were merged in 1961 as Pretty Polly Holdings Ltd.
Innovations
In 1959 the company introduced the first non-run seam-free stockings. To update the company's image in 1962, the parrot was replaced with two letter Ps and the phrase Pretty Polly for Pretty Legs forming a new . In March 1967, hold-upsHold-ups
Hold-ups or stay-ups are stockings with a band of elastic sewn to the top, designed to hold the stockings up when worn, without the need for a garter belt or garters...
were introduced, which avoided the need for suspender belts, and were even featured on Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
. It depended on the invention in 1899 of silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....
by Professor Frederick Kipping
Frederick Kipping
Professor Frederick Stanley Kipping FRS was an English chemist.He was born in Manchester, England, the son of James Kipping, a Bank of England official, and educated at Manchester Grammar School before enrolling in 1879 at Owens College for an external degree from the University of London...
at University College Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
. In the late 1960s, Pretty Polly was the best-selling range of hosiery in the UK, with a market share of 20%. In 1982, lycra
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
(invented in 1959) was introduced.
Expansion
In 1967, an Irish subsidiary was opened at KillarneyKillarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
, to keep up with demand
Demand (economics)
In economics, demand is the desire to own anything, the ability to pay for it, and the willingness to pay . The term demand signifies the ability or the willingness to buy a particular commodity at a given point of time....
. In August 1991 the company was bought from BTR by the American Sara Lee Corporation for $187m who merged it with Elbeo in 1993. The company employed around 2,000 workers at this time. In 2005 when the company was owned by Sara Lee Courtaulds, production was moved from Unwin Road in Sutton in Ashfield to a 'state of the art
State of the art
The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. It also refers to the level of development reached at any particular time as a result of the latest methodologies employed.- Origin :The earliest use of the term...
' factory on Bridge Foot (A517) in Belper
Belper
Belper is a town and civil parish in the local government district of Amber Valley in Derbyshire, England.-Geography:Belper is situated eight miles north of Derby and is centred in the valley of the River Derwent...
. In May 2006, Sara Lee sold all of its lingerie brands to PD Enterprise, as part of a company known as Courtaulds Legwear.
Advertising
Pretty Polly was the first hosiery company to advertise on TV in 1980. In 1994 Laura BaileyLaura Bailey
Laura Bailey is an English model represented by Liz Matthews PR. She has modelled campaigns for Guess Jeans, L'Oreal, Jaguar, Jaeger, Marks and Spencer, Bella Freud and Temperley London. Laura also works as a writer and has written for Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Glamour, The Independent,...
modelled for the company, then in 1998, Eva Herzigová
Eva Herzigová
Eva Herzigová is a Czech model and actress.-Early life and career:Herzigová was born in Litvínov, Czechoslovakia . She began her modeling career after winning a modeling beauty contest in Prague in 1989, at the age of sixteen. After arriving in Paris, her popularity increased...
became the face (and legs) of Pretty Polly advertising. Sara Cox
Sara Cox
Sara Cox , known as "Coxy", is an English TV presenter and radio DJ, most well known for presenting the breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 between 2000 and 2003...
also modelled their hosiery. In 1999 the company launched their first bras, known as bbras.
In 2003, British singer Rachel Stevens
Rachel Stevens
Rachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
became the face of PP advertising.
Honours
In 2005, the company was honoured as a SuperbrandSuperbrands
The Superbrands organization is an independent arbiter on branding. Its membership programmes pay tribute to the world's leading brands, as selected by experts and consumers. The organization also publishes a series of brand-focused books and publications...
by the Superbrands Council
Superbrands Council
In each country that Superbrands operates in, it elects a Superbrands Council, which usually comprises industry experts and practitioners, which selects the top brands under various categories and awards them the status of "Superbrands"....
.