Company Timeline
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The Story of SPANX: Company Timeline
1998: Bright Idea Sara cut the feet out of her pantyhose to look smashing in her cream-colored pants.
Sara is awarded the patent for Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose and begins to develop her first product.
Sara is awarded the patent for Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose and begins to develop her first product.
2000: In Production
Sara convinces a mill to manufacture her “crazy idea,” and SPANX Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose are born!
Sara convinces a mill to manufacture her “crazy idea,” and SPANX Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose are born!
2000: Sara Makes a Sale
After giving her own personal before & after demonstration, Neiman Marcus agrees to test SPANX in several stores and she places her first major order of SPANX.
Expanding! SPANX expands distribution to Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and other major high-end department stores.
After giving her own personal before & after demonstration, Neiman Marcus agrees to test SPANX in several stores and she places her first major order of SPANX.
Expanding! SPANX expands distribution to Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and other major high-end department stores.
2000: Hello Fame!
Oprah Winfrey discovers SPANX Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose and places them on the coveted “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list for 2000.
Oprah Winfrey discovers SPANX Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose and places them on the coveted “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list for 2000.
2001: Movin’ On Up…
Spanx moves from the back of Sara’s apartment to an office in Decatur, GA.
Sara invents Control-Top Fishnets and coins the phrase “No more grid butt!”
Spanx moves from the back of Sara’s apartment to an office in Decatur, GA.
Sara invents Control-Top Fishnets and coins the phrase “No more grid butt!”
2002: More Everything!
With a staff of six, Sara and her design team invent Power Panties™, the first legband-free, tummy-minimizing mid-thigh hosiery shaper and continue to reinvigorate a once dead category.
Mama SPANX Maternity Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose is born.
With a staff of six, Sara and her design team invent Power Panties™, the first legband-free, tummy-minimizing mid-thigh hosiery shaper and continue to reinvigorate a once dead category.
Mama SPANX Maternity Footless Body-Shaping Pantyhose is born.
2002: Score!
Sara hires Laurie Ann Goldman to be the CEO of Spanx, and the Spanx team grows to 11 by the end of 2002.
Sara hires Laurie Ann Goldman to be the CEO of Spanx, and the Spanx team grows to 11 by the end of 2002.
2002: Honors
Sara is named “Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southeast Region” by Ernst & Young.
Spanx launches Reversible Tight-End Tights.
Sara is named “Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southeast Region” by Ernst & Young.
Spanx launches Reversible Tight-End Tights.
2003: Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’…
Spanx moves its offices to Buckhead.
Spanx takes its same great body-shaping down to the toe with the addition of All The Way Full-Length Pantyhose and All The Way Mama SPANX Full-Length Maternity Pantyhose.
Spanx moves its offices to Buckhead.
Spanx takes its same great body-shaping down to the toe with the addition of All The Way Full-Length Pantyhose and All The Way Mama SPANX Full-Length Maternity Pantyhose.
2003: And growin’, growin’, growin’…
Turbo Tights (footless tights) arrive in time for cooler weather.
Spanx grows into a team of 18.
Cheerio! Spanx launches in the UK.
Turbo Tights (footless tights) arrive in time for cooler weather.
Spanx grows into a team of 18.
Cheerio! Spanx launches in the UK.
2004:
Spanx appeared as the answer to the Trivial Pursuit question, “What company invented control top fishnets and coined the phrase ‘No more grid butt’?”
Tummies thank SPANX for Higher Power™, a high-waisted version of the coveted Power Panties™. Spanx launches Bod-a-Bing!, a collection of apparel with built-in slimming liners to smooth and firm the figure.
Women everywhere are singing, “Bra-llelujah!®” in celebration of the first all-hosiery comfort bra!
Gwyneth Paltrow told USA Today that she wore two pairs of SPANX to slim down after giving birth to her daughter Apple. This kicked off a string of celebrity endorsements, including Oprah, Jessica Alba, Tyra Banks, Miley Cyrus, and more!
2004: Reaching Higher
Sara Blakely is whisked around the world by FOX TV for Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson’s reality series “Rebel Billionaire: Branson’s Quest for the Best.” Sara walked away as first runner up, winning $750,000 to launch her own foundation designed to help women globally through education and entrepreneurship.
Spanx appeared as the answer to the Trivial Pursuit question, “What company invented control top fishnets and coined the phrase ‘No more grid butt’?”
Tummies thank SPANX for Higher Power™, a high-waisted version of the coveted Power Panties™. Spanx launches Bod-a-Bing!, a collection of apparel with built-in slimming liners to smooth and firm the figure.
Women everywhere are singing, “Bra-llelujah!®” in celebration of the first all-hosiery comfort bra!
Gwyneth Paltrow told USA Today that she wore two pairs of SPANX to slim down after giving birth to her daughter Apple. This kicked off a string of celebrity endorsements, including Oprah, Jessica Alba, Tyra Banks, Miley Cyrus, and more!
2004: Reaching Higher
Sara Blakely is whisked around the world by FOX TV for Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson’s reality series “Rebel Billionaire: Branson’s Quest for the Best.” Sara walked away as first runner up, winning $750,000 to launch her own foundation designed to help women globally through education and entrepreneurship.
2005: Spanx Gets ‘Intimate’
Spanx adds intimates to the SPANX line by launching two new and innovative body-shaping collections: Hide & Sleek smoothing underpinnings and Slim Cognito seamless bodyshapers.
Spanx, Inc. earns the Advertising Age “Marketing 50” honor.
Spanx distribution expands to women’s plus size retailers such as Catherine’s, Lane Bryant, and Torrid.
Spanx adds intimates to the SPANX line by launching two new and innovative body-shaping collections: Hide & Sleek smoothing underpinnings and Slim Cognito seamless bodyshapers.
Spanx, Inc. earns the Advertising Age “Marketing 50” honor.
Spanx distribution expands to women’s plus size retailers such as Catherine’s, Lane Bryant, and Torrid.
2006: New to the Family
Spanx, Inc. creates a new brand, ASSETS® by Sara Blakely®, a line of shapewear and legwear designed to help more women achieve their own red carpet look for less. ASSETS is sold at the following retailers: Target, Belk, Dillard’s, David’s Bridal, Motherhood Maternity, and LOFT, and at www.loveassets.com.
When Oprah said that she had “given up panties and only wears SPANX” on her show on May 20, 2006, we sold more than 20,000 pairs of SPANX Power Panties that day alone!
Spanx, Inc. creates a new brand, ASSETS® by Sara Blakely®, a line of shapewear and legwear designed to help more women achieve their own red carpet look for less. ASSETS is sold at the following retailers: Target, Belk, Dillard’s, David’s Bridal, Motherhood Maternity, and LOFT, and at www.loveassets.com.
When Oprah said that she had “given up panties and only wears SPANX” on her show on May 20, 2006, we sold more than 20,000 pairs of SPANX Power Panties that day alone!
2006: Give a Damn
Sara Blakely and Sir Richard Branson throw the “Give a Damn” party on October 14 to launch the Sara Blakely Foundation. The event raised money to fund college scholarships for 278 women to attend CIDA City Campus in South Africa and raised more than $600,000 to go to the Sara Blakely foundation.
Sara Blakely and Sir Richard Branson throw the “Give a Damn” party on October 14 to launch the Sara Blakely Foundation. The event raised money to fund college scholarships for 278 women to attend CIDA City Campus in South Africa and raised more than $600,000 to go to the Sara Blakely foundation.
2007: Pay it Forward!
Sara credits Oprah as one of her biggest inspirations. While taping a show on how SPANX shapers are made, Sara surprises Oprah with a check for $1,000,000 for The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation in South Africa.
Sara appears weekly on ABC’s American Inventor as a judge with George Foreman, Peter Jones, and Pat Croce.
Sara donates 100% of the money she made from American Inventor to the Sara Blakely Foundation.
2007:
SPANX grows to 50 employees.
In the May 2007 issue of InStyle, 21 percent of women polled said that SPANX is the best body-enhancing invention ever (tied with stretchy jeans and second to the push-up bra!).
Sara credits Oprah as one of her biggest inspirations. While taping a show on how SPANX shapers are made, Sara surprises Oprah with a check for $1,000,000 for The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation in South Africa.
Sara appears weekly on ABC’s American Inventor as a judge with George Foreman, Peter Jones, and Pat Croce.
Sara donates 100% of the money she made from American Inventor to the Sara Blakely Foundation.
2007:
SPANX grows to 50 employees.
In the May 2007 issue of InStyle, 21 percent of women polled said that SPANX is the best body-enhancing invention ever (tied with stretchy jeans and second to the push-up bra!).
2008 :
Spanx grows to 75 employees in July and launches in Australia.
Spanx starred in Who Wants to be a Millionaire. “Beloved by millions of women, Spanx is a popular brand of… undergarments.” The contestant got to the $4,000 mark by knowing her Spanx and even admitted to having them on at the very moment!
According to NPD research, the SPANX Slim Cognito Bodysuit was the No. 1 selling garment in intimate apparel in 2008.
Spanx grows to 75 employees in July and launches in Australia.
Spanx starred in Who Wants to be a Millionaire. “Beloved by millions of women, Spanx is a popular brand of… undergarments.” The contestant got to the $4,000 mark by knowing her Spanx and even admitted to having them on at the very moment!
According to NPD research, the SPANX Slim Cognito Bodysuit was the No. 1 selling garment in intimate apparel in 2008.
2008 : Bra-llelujah!
Responding to consumer demand of wanting the upper body and back to be streamlined, Spanx reaches into the new category of foundations and launches Bra-llelujah!® Underwire Contour. This revolutionary concept quickly becomes the number one selling bra at all retailers.
2009:
With an astounding 85 employees, 200 products and 3,000 retail locations, company growth is on the rise. Spanx takes on new initiatives by launching a high-end, fashion-driven shapewear line, Haute Contour®, the Dessert of Shapewear™.
Responding to consumer demand of wanting the upper body and back to be streamlined, Spanx reaches into the new category of foundations and launches Bra-llelujah!® Underwire Contour. This revolutionary concept quickly becomes the number one selling bra at all retailers.
2009:
With an astounding 85 employees, 200 products and 3,000 retail locations, company growth is on the rise. Spanx takes on new initiatives by launching a high-end, fashion-driven shapewear line, Haute Contour®, the Dessert of Shapewear™.
2010:
In October of 2010, Spanx, Inc. celebrates its 10th birthday!
Today, after many years of demand, Spanx brings their industry expertise to the pool and the beach with swimwear and to men with a new collection of compression undershirts.
In October of 2010, Spanx, Inc. celebrates its 10th birthday!
Today, after many years of demand, Spanx brings their industry expertise to the pool and the beach with swimwear and to men with a new collection of compression undershirts.
More to come...