SPANX
Encyclopedia
Spanx, Inc. is a U.S. company that mainly manufactures footless pantyhose
and other undergarment
s for women, particularly "body shaping
" undergarments and bodysuit shapewear intended to give the wearer a slim and shapely appearance.
The company was founded in 2000 by Sara Blakely
. It received a marketing boost that year when Oprah Winfrey
endorsed it on her show. Spanx started manufacturing body shaping undergarments for men ("Spanx for Men") in 2010.
Spanx is a private company and has not released financial information. Blakely owns 100% of the brand and has said that the company has approximately 100 employees. A marketing study estimated the overall market for "shapeware" at $750 million for 2008.
Pantyhose
Pantyhose are sheer, close-fitting legwear, covering the wearer's body from the waist to the feet. Mostly considered to be a woman's and girl's garment, pantyhose appeared in the 1960s, and they provided a convenient alternative to stockings...
and other undergarment
Undergarment
Undergarments or underwear are clothes worn under other clothes, often next to the skin. They keep outer garments from being soiled by bodily secretions and discharges, shape the body, and provide support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional...
s for women, particularly "body shaping
Foundation garment
A foundation garment is an undergarment designed to temporarily alter the wearer's body shape, to achieve a more fashionable figure...
" undergarments and bodysuit shapewear intended to give the wearer a slim and shapely appearance.
The company was founded in 2000 by Sara Blakely
Sara Blakely
Sara Blakely is an American businesswoman. In 2000, Blakely founded Spanx, a multi-million dollar undergarment company.-Biography:...
. It received a marketing boost that year when Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
endorsed it on her show. Spanx started manufacturing body shaping undergarments for men ("Spanx for Men") in 2010.
Spanx is a private company and has not released financial information. Blakely owns 100% of the brand and has said that the company has approximately 100 employees. A marketing study estimated the overall market for "shapeware" at $750 million for 2008.
External links
- Official website
- Bryan, Meredith. "Spanx Me, Baby!". The New York Observer. December 5, 2007
- Spanx products in the UK
- Spanx in the Czech Republic
- Marsh, Lisa. "Maternity tummy tuckers? Spanx sucks in pregnant fans". MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
. January 7, 2011.