Bluebella
Bluebella is a British lingerie brand founded in London in 2005 by Emily Bendell.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Bluebella is a British lingerie company established in London in 2005 by Emily Bendell. The business developed from a direct-to-consumer concept into an internationally distributed lingerie brand with operations in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France and Italy. Its assortment has principally centered on lingerie and underwear, while also extending into swimwear through collaborations and into themed or licensed collections. Bendell founded Bluebella after studying philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford and working as a journalist on a legal publication. Before formally building the company, she spent approximately six months testing the idea through lingerie parties for friends and family. The early business was highly founder-led: Bendell initially handled orders, packing and customer telephone enquiries herself. The company subsequently sought outside investment, including support from James Averdieck, founder of Gü, the investor network Incito Ventures and the South East Seed Fund. Bluebella was also the first company to receive funding from Addidi Business Angels, a London-based female investor club. Bendell described the difficulty of raising capital in a business-investment environment dominated by male investors and organized her own event to reach high-net-worth women. The company grew quickly in its early years. By 2008, it reportedly had around 100 agents across the United Kingdom, and online retailers such as ASOS and Figleaves had begun carrying its products. The brand expanded its department-store presence when Selfridges announced in February 2014 that it would stock Bluebella lingerie. The year 2014 was particularly significant commercially: reported sales reached £3.7 million and the company returned a reported profit of £347,000 after a reported loss in the prior year. The growth was helped by Tesco's sale of a Bluebella Fifty Shades range. Bluebella pursued further international expansion through a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than £1 million in December 2016. By the summer of 2018, its distribution included Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom in the United States, as well as the online retailers Revolve and Shopbop. The brand also gained visibility through editorial and celebrity styling, including appearances on actress Maggie Gyllenhaal and singer Nicki Minaj in photo shoots. In 2019, Bluebella entered a wholesale partnership with Victoria's Secret, with its autumn 2019 collection selected for sale in certain stores and online. Marketing has been an important part of Bluebella's identity. The brand has used body confidence, empowerment and inclusivity-oriented messaging alongside fashion-led product promotion. Its 2016 #BeStrongBeBeautiful campaign featured British athletes Bryony Shaw, Amber Hill and Stefanie Reid and encouraged schoolgirls to remain involved in sport. In 2017, an outdoor catwalk at London's Oxford Circus supported the launch of the Dare To Bare campaign; the campaign involved 19 non-professional models and later won Marketing Campaign of the Year at the 2018 UK Lingerie Awards. Bluebella also collaborated with Amber Davies on swimwear design in 2018. In March 2020, it donated £1 from every purchase to Beam.org, a social enterprise supporting employment training for homeless women. Bluebella has been recognized with Drapers Lingerie Brand of the Year awards in 2017 and 2018.
History
Bluebella was founded in London in 2005 by Emily Bendell. Bendell had studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford and had worked as a journalist on a legal journal before developing the lingerie business. She tested the concept for roughly six months by holding lingerie parties for friends and relatives. The first stage of the company was operated almost entirely by Bendell herself, who managed orders, packing and customer telephone calls from her bedroom. As the company developed, Bluebella secured investment from several early backers. These included James Averdieck, founder of Gü, Incito Ventures and the South East Seed Fund. Bluebella was also the first business to receive funding from Addidi Business Angels, a London-based female investor club. Bendell publicly discussed the difficulties of raising investment for a female-focused company in a funding environment in which most business angels were men. After an early investment round left her dissatisfied, she organized an event and directly contacted wealthy women in order to broaden the investor base. Bluebella expanded its sales organization during the late 2000s. By 2008, approximately 100 agents were operating in the United Kingdom, while online retailers including ASOS and Figleaves had begun selling its lingerie. The company reportedly doubled turnover annually from 2007 through 2010, illustrating the rapid growth of its early retail model. It later widened its wholesale reach through department stores, with Selfridges announcing in February 2014 that it would stock the brand. In 2014, Bluebella's commercial performance improved substantially. Reported sales tripled to £3.7 million and the company reported a profit of £347,000, compared with a reported loss of £430,300 in the previous year. Tesco's distribution of a Fifty Shades range contributed to the result. The company continued to combine its own brand development with retail partnerships and collection-based launches. Bluebella sought capital for overseas expansion in December 2016, raising more than £1 million through crowdfunding. Its international distribution had broadened by the summer of 2018, when the brand was stocked by Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom and sold through online retailers including Revolve and Shopbop. Media visibility also increased, with Bluebella lingerie appearing in photo shoots involving Maggie Gyllenhaal and Nicki Minaj. The brand's public marketing has frequently emphasized body confidence and personal empowerment. In 2016, Bluebella worked with Olympic and Paralympic athletes Bryony Shaw, Amber Hill and Stefanie Reid on the #BeStrongBeBeautiful campaign, which aimed to encourage schoolgirls to continue participating in sport. In 2017, its Dare To Bare launch used an outdoor catwalk at Oxford Circus featuring 19 non-professional models. The campaign won Marketing Campaign of the Year at the 2018 UK Lingerie Awards. Bluebella also entered swimwear through a 2018 design collaboration with Amber Davies. In 2019, Bluebella formed a wholesale partnership with Victoria's Secret, whose selected stores and website carried the autumn 2019 collection. In March 2020, the company donated £1 from each purchase to Beam.org, supporting job training for homeless women. The available reference material identifies Bluebella as headquartered in London and operating across the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, France and Italy. It does not provide sufficient information to establish a current chief executive, ownership structure or precise present-day corporate status beyond the brand's continuing operation.
- 2020
Beam.org donation program
[1]During March, Bluebella donated £1 from every purchase to Beam.org to support job training for homeless women.
- 2019
Victoria's Secret wholesale partnership
[1]Selected Bluebella autumn 2019 products entered Victoria's Secret stores and online distribution.
- 2018
United States retail distribution expands
[1]By summer 2018, the brand was stocked by Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom and sold through Revolve and Shopbop.
- 2016
Crowdfunding supports United States expansion
[1]Bluebella raised more than £1 million through crowdfunding to expand into the United States.
- 2014
Selfridges begins stocking Bluebella
[1]The department store announced that it would carry Bluebella lingerie.
- 2010
Early rapid-growth period concludes
[1]The company reportedly doubled turnover every year from 2007 to 2010.
- 2008
United Kingdom agent network reaches approximately 100
[1]Bluebella reportedly had around 100 agents operating across the United Kingdom, while ASOS and Figleaves began stocking its products.
- 2005
Bluebella is founded
[1]Emily Bendell founded Bluebella in London after testing the business concept through lingerie parties and direct sales.
Products and positioning
A fashion-oriented lingerie brand combining distinctive, design-led underwear with body-confidence, empowerment and contemporary campaign imagery. Bluebella has positioned itself between direct-to-consumer fashion retail and wholesale department-store distribution.
Lingerie · 2005
Lingerie collections
Bluebella's core offering consists of fashion-led lingerie and underwear collections. The brand's distribution history includes direct sales, specialist online retailers, department stores and selected international wholesale partners. The available sources identify lingerie as the company's central product category but do not provide a complete catalogue of specific current styles.
Licensed lingerie range
Fifty Shades range
Bluebella developed a Fifty Shades range that was sold by Tesco. The range was cited as a contributor to the company's strong 2014 commercial performance.
Swimwear · 2018
Amber Davies swimwear collaboration
In July 2018, Bluebella formed a swimwear design collaboration with Amber Davies, the winner of the third series of the reality television program Love Island. The available material does not specify the full product range or its subsequent availability.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Beam.org donation initiative
United Kingdom
For the month of March, Bluebella donated £1 from every purchase to Beam.org, a social enterprise supporting employment and training for homeless people.
Outcome. The donations were directed toward job training for homeless women.
- 2017Dare To Bare
United Kingdom
Bluebella launched its Dare To Bare campaign during London Fashion Week with an outdoor catwalk at Oxford Circus featuring 19 non-professional models.
Outcome. The campaign won Marketing Campaign of the Year at the 2018 UK Lingerie Awards.
- 2016#BeStrongBeBeautiful
United Kingdom
Bluebella worked with windsurfer Bryony Shaw, shooter Amber Hill and Paralympic long-jumper Stefanie Reid on a body-confidence campaign. The participants discussed experiences of body confidence and sport in an effort to encourage schoolgirls to remain active.
Outcome. The campaign was intended to address the reported decline in girls' participation in sport after age 13 and to promote continued involvement in fitness and athletics.
Brand decisions
2019
Enter a wholesale partnership with Victoria's SecretM&ABackground
Bluebella was expanding its international wholesale and department-store distribution.
Action taken
Victoria's Secret selected Bluebella's autumn 2019 collection for sale in certain stores and through its online channel.
Aftermath
The partnership increased Bluebella's access to Victoria's Secret's retail and digital customer base, although the available material does not specify its duration or commercial value.
2016
Raise growth capital through crowdfundingStrategyBackground
Bluebella sought additional funding to support international growth, particularly expansion into the United States.
Action taken
The company raised more than £1 million through a crowdfunding campaign.
Aftermath
By summer 2018, Bluebella had distribution through Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Revolve and Shopbop.
Crowdfunding raised. More than £1 million (December 2016)
Recent events
Victoria’s Secret and Bluebella Announce Collaboration[2]
Reported:
Victoria’s Secret announced a partnership with U.K.-based lingerie brand Bluebella. The collaboration will feature model Ali Tate Cutler in a Victoria’s Secret lingerie campaign.
Victoria’s Secret and Bluebella launch an inclusive campaign[3]
Reported:
Victoria’s Secret and U.K. lingerie label Bluebella released a campaign featuring transgender and plus-size models. The article describes it as Victoria’s Secret’s first size- and gender-inclusive campaign.
Sources3 sources
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