Our Story
The Story of SPANX:
Company Timeline
2002: Score!
Sara hires Laurie Ann Goldman
to be the CEO of Spanx,
2003: Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’…
and the Spanx team grows
• Spanx moves its offices
to Buckhead in Atlanta GA.
to 11 by the end of 2002.
• Spanx takes its same great
body-shaping down to
1998: Bright Idea
the toes with the addition
• Sara cut the feet out of her pantyhose to
of All The Way
look smashing in her cream-colored pants. Full-Length Pantyhose. • Sara is awarded the patent for Footless
Body-Shaping Pantyhose and begins to
develop her first product.
2002: More Everything!
• With a staff of six, Sara and her design
2000: In Production
team invent Power Panties®, the first
Sara convinces a mill to manufacture
legband-free, tummy-minimizing
her “crazy idea,” and SPANX Footless
mid-thigh hosiery shaper.
Body-Shaping Pantyhose are born! 2003: And Growin’, Growin’, Growin’…
• Mama SPANX Maternity Pantyhose
are born.
• Spanx grows into a team of 18.
2004: Famous Friends
• Cheerio! Spanx launches in the UK.
• Spanx launches Bod-a-Bing!,
a collection of slimming apparel.
• Women everywhere are singing,
2000: Sara Makes a Sale
“Bra-llelujah!®” in celebration of the
• After giving her own personal before
first all-hosiery comfort bra!
& after demonstration, Neiman Marcus
and she places her first major order!
• E xpanding! Spanx expands distribution
• Gwyneth Paltrow told USA Today that
2002: Honors
agrees to test SPANX in several stores
2001: Movin’ On Up…
• Spanx moves from
to Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue,
the back of Sara’s
Bloomingdale’s, and other major
apartment to an office
high-end department stores.
in Decatur, GA.
she wore two pairs of SPANX to slim
• Sara is named “Entrepreneur
down after giving birth to her daughter
of the Year for the Southeast
Apple. This kicked off a string of
Region” by Ernst & Young.
celebrity endorsements, including
• Spanx launches Reversible
Oprah, Jessica Alba, Tyra Banks, Julia
Tight-End Tights®.
Roberts, and more!
• Sara invents Control-Top
Fishnets and coins the
phrase “No more grid butt!”
2004: Nothing Too Trivial!
• Spanx appeared as the answer to the
Trivial Pursuit question, “What company
2000: Hello Fame!
Oprah Winfrey discovers SPANX Footless
invented control top fishnets and
coined the phrase ‘No more grid butt’?”
Body-Shaping Pantyhose and places
• Tummies thank SPANX for Higher Power®,
them on the coveted “Oprah’s Favorite
a high-waisted version of the coveted
Things” list for 2000.
Power Panties. ™
Our Story
2007: Survey Says
• SPANX grows to 50 employees.
2011: Get In On The Action!
• In the May 2007 issue of InStyle,
• Spanx launches
21 percent of women polled said
2008: Final Answer that SPANX is the best
• Spanx grows to 75 employees in July
an active collection with
innovative features like a
and launches in Australia.
body-enhancing invention ever
built-in bagel-buster!TM
• Spanx starred in Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
(tied with stretchy jeans and
“Beloved by millions of women, Spanx is
second to the push-up bra!). 110 employees.
a popular brand of… undergarments.” 2006: New to the Family
red carpet look for less. Available at: Target,
by FOX TV for Virgin founder Sir Richard
JCPenney, LOFT, and spanx.com/assets!
Branson’s reality series “Rebel Billionaire:
• When Oprah said that she had “given up
launches at NYC’s
by knowing her Spanx and even admitted
59th Street Bloomingdale’s!
Slim Cognito Mid-Tigh Bodysuit was
shapewear, swimwear, and legwear designed
Sara Blakely is whisked around the world
The contestant got to the $4,000 mark
• According to NPD research, the SPANX
ASSETS® by Sara Blakely®, a collection of
to help more women achieve their own
• The first ever SPANX shop
to having them on at the very moment!
• Spanx, Inc. creates a new brand,
2004: Reaching Higher
• Spanx has more than
e
r
o
M to come!
the No. 1 selling garment in intimate
apparel in 2008.
2007: Pay it Forward!
2011: The Rear View
• Sara credits Oprah as one of
The Spanx Rear View blog
show on May 20, 2006, we sold more than
her biggest inspirations. Sara
to launch her own foundation designed to
is launched giving SPANX
20,000 pairs of SPANX Power Panties
surprises Oprah with a check for
help women globally through education
that day alone! $1,000,000 for The Oprah Winfrey
Branson’s Quest for the Best.” Sara walked
panties and only wears SPANX” on her
away as first runner up, winning $750,000
and entrepreneurial training.
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,
raising funds for 278 women
Leadership Academy Foundation
in South Africa.
• Sara appears weekly on ABC’s
American Inventor as a judge and
donates 100% of her earnings to
fans a glimpse behind the
2008 : Bra-llelujah!
Spanx reaches into the new category of
foundations and launches Bra-llelujah!
seams at Spanx!
®
Underwire Contour. This revolutionary
concept quickly becomes the number one
2010: Making a Splash
selling bra at all retailers.
• In October of 2010, Spanx, Inc.
celebrates its 10th birthday with
the Sara Blakely Foundation.
a $100,000 donation to the
Atlanta Women’s Foundation!
to attend CIDA City Campus
• After many years of demand,
in South Africa and more than
$600,000 to go to the
Spanx brings their industry
Sara Blakely foundation.
expertise to the pool and
the beach with swimwear.
2005: Spanx Gets “Intimate”
®
with the launch of SPANX for
• Spanx adds intimates to the
Men Cotton Compression and
®
SPANX line with Hide & Sleek
®
and Slim Cognito .
• Spanx, Inc. earns the Advertising Age
“Marketing 50” honor.
• Men are able to join the party
2009: Shapewear Gets Chic
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®.
Zoned Performance undershirts
and Cotton Comfort underwear.
Founder Bio
Sara Blakely, Founder
Throughout history, inventors have found inspiration from the strangest places. For Spanx Founder and
Owner Sara Blakely, the inspiration came from VPL (visible panty lines) and uncomfortable thongs. A frustrated consumer turned
entrepreneur, Sara invented footless pantyhose, created an international brand and led a shapewear revolution.
Obsessed with creating comfortable, slimming garments that minimize figure flaws, Sara has created more than 200 problemsolving products and recently entered the on-the-go apparel business with the ground-breaking Spanx Active Collection.
In 2006 Sara brought her shapewear know-how to more women with the national launch of ASSETS®, a collection of shapewear,
swimwear, and legwear designed to help women achieve their own red carpet look for less. Continuing to raise the bar with
innovative products women want, in 2009 Sara launched Haute Contour® by SPANX®, the Dessert of Shapewear®. Today, after
many years of demand, Spanx also brings their industry expertise to the pool and the beach with swimwear and to men with
reinvented undershirts and underwear.
Chances are you’ve seen Sara flashing her SPANX on QVC, judging inventions on ABC’s American Inventor, or sharing tea with
Richard Branson atop a hot air balloon at 10,000 feet on Fox’s The Rebel Billionaire. As the runner up on Rebel Billionaire, Sara
received a $750,000 check from Branson to pursue her dream to start a foundation to empower women. Since launching the
Sara Blakely Foundation in late 2006, Sara has contributed over $10 million through Spanx, Inc. and the Foundation to causes
that support women. As an entertaining and sought-after speaker, Sara shares her story to inspire people to follow their dreams.
Remaining self-funded and profitable ever since Sara used her own savings to start the company, Spanx continues to show
incredible growth. SPANX are sold in America’s finest retailers and boutiques including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth
Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Dillards and Lord and Taylor, as well as high-end retailers in more than 35 countries around the world.
ASSETS are sold at Target, JCPenney and www.spanx.com/assets.
Sara’s story has been featured everywhere from The Oprah Winfrey Show, TODAY, The View,
20/20, USA Today, CNN, and CNBC. She has been named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of
the Year and Georgia’s “Woman of the Year.” Sara and her husband Jesse reside in Atlanta
and New York with their son Lazer. Sara is a native of Clearwater, Florida, and a graduate
of Florida State University.
ALL CONTENT IS AVAILABLE
24/7 AT:
twitter @spanxinc: twitter.com/spanxinc
HTTP://PRESS.SPANX.COM
facebook: www.facebook.com/spanxinc
Fun Facts
Spanx was not going to venture into the sheers
business—thankfully that fate was changed
after a positive consultation from none other
than Sara’s Lucky 8 Ball.
Founded in 2000,
Spanx is headquartered
in Atlanta
Sara Blakely carried
an old-fashioned
Eastpack from the early
1990s to her first SPANX
sales meeting at Neiman
Marcus. While her
friends begged her
SPANX has
Sara is known to wear
secured a place in
wigs when she’s bored
pop-culture, with
or tired of being blonde.
When she told her mom
to swap the lucky red
daily mentions
backpack for a Prada
everywhere from
hair black, her mom
bag, she had no shame.
CNN to SNL.
suggested she buy a
It’s still her lucky bag,
In 2010, Saturday
although the buyer at
Neiman’s seeing Sara in
SPANX may have worked
more than the backpack
– She showed off the
SPANX under her white
pants, and the buyer
immediately said, “I’ll buy
Night Live featured
she wanted to dye her
wig instead, and that’s
how her collection
started. She has about
a Baby SPANX
10 — all different colors,
skit touting
shapes, bobs, long hair,
products that will
short, feathered.
“smooth out all
of your babies
unsightly bumps
and
24/bulges.”
7 AT: HTTP://PRESS.SPANX.COM
3,000 pairs.”ALL CONTENT IS AVAILABLE
twitter @spanxinc: twitter.com/spanxinc
facebook: www.facebook.com/spanxinc
Fun Facts
The Spanx office is like no other! Since we wear test our products, it’s
not uncommon for people to pull down their pants, pull up their skirts or
strip down into a swimsuit—all on the job. Spanx tests every product on
women (and men too) of all shapes and sizes to ensure the perfect fit.
You’d never
guess that the
fit and fabulous
Madonna,
Fergie and
Rihanna all
have had stage
costumes
made out of
SPANX®!
Spanx mascot (our CEO’s poodle)
Lou Lou is named after Loulou
de la Falaise, fashion muse,
friend, and creative partner to
Yves Saint-Laurent.
While she may be goofy,
she was too short to
actually be Goofy. Sara
did get the part of a
Chipmunk at Disney
World but passed and
helped people get on the
rides instead! She had to
walk on a moving
sidewalk for eight hours
a day in a brown
polyester space suit
and say: “Hi, welcome
to Disney. Watch your
step please.”
After 5 years on
the job, Spanx employees
get to pick out a Cartier watch as
appreciation for their talent and dedication!
It took more than
three years and
100 prototypes to
create SPANX
Bra-llelujah!®
Underwire
Contour, now
many top retailers’
best-selling bra.
SPANX By The Numbers
Spanx has sold more than
Spanx is privately held
and reported an estimated
nine million pairs of
$350 million in retail
sales in 2008.
Footless Body-Shaping
Of the 110
employees,
15 are men.
Pantyhose since Sara
launched in October 2000.
Women around the world can get their
Spanx on! We’re currently selling in
more than 35 countries worldwide!
In just 10 years, Spanx
has donated $10 million
dollars to charities and
philanthropies on behalf
of the Spanx and the
Sara Blakely Foundation.
Sara Blakely
funded
Spanx, Inc.
To date, more than 6
million Spanx Power
Panties have been
sold worldwide.
On her show, Oprah
announced she’d
“given up panties” and
only wore
Spanx,
more than
20,000 pairs
were sold
that day
with $5,000
of her own
savings in 2000.
She’s a fully
self-funded
entrepreneur.
alone.
Spanx is sold at more than 10,000 retail
locations in the US.