Ultimo founder Michelle Mone to launch new lingerie brand

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Nov 24, 2017

Scottish businesswoman Michelle Mone has announced she is returning to return to the UK lingerie market after a three-year hiatus with a new brand which will be “bigger than all the others”.

Mone founded the Ultimo lingerie empire with her then-husband Michael Mone in 1996, and left the business in August 2015.

On Wednesday she teased that she would be launching a new company, writing on Twitter: “Major business announcement later.”

She then posted: “Breaking news… I invented 17 worldwide inventions and became one of the biggest names in the lingerie industry. After a three year break and being disappointed with the industry, I’m coming back with a bang.

“My own brand will launch in 2018 and will be bigger than all the others, including Ultimo.”

It is understood the new brand will focus on bras and knickers, and reports said it will not be a joint venture with Mone’s billionaire investor partner Douglas Barrowman.

Mone’s Ultimo is a lingerie brand best known for its cleavage-enhancing bras. The businesswoman and her ex-husband built up the brand into a highly successful business, launching the Ultimo bra at Selfridges in London and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and working with several high-profile it-girls as its ambassadors.

Mone also created a lingerie brand with Asda, branded “Michelle for George” in 2004, and in 2006 launched 'Adore Moi' for Debenhams.

She also owns fake-tanning brand UTan.