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New draft proposal

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Hi everyone, I noticed that this page is outdated with requests for section expansion and citations. To address these issues, I am proposing a new draft for consideration below. It includes stronger sourcing, more encyclopedic language, and relevant content. I left out the pictures because they are now outdated, but I am looking into more current ones. I look forward to working with the community to improve this page!

Revision proposal

Spanx, LLC is an American shapewear company, founded by Sara Blakely in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. The company offers innerwear and outerwear, including activewear,[1] apparel, denim,[2] shapewear, swimwear, intimates, leggings, and hosiery. As of 2021, the company was valued at $1.2 billion[3] and its products are sold in over 50 countries.[4]

History

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Sara Blakely created Spanx in 2000 as a solution to both the discomfort she experienced wearing pantyhose in hot weather and disliking the seamed foot that stuck out of an open-toe shoe.[5] After graduating from Florida State University (FSU) in 1993, Blakely first worked at Walt Disney World Resort, followed by Danka, an office supply company, where she sold fax machines door to door. She cut the feet off her control-top pantyhose in order to achieve a “smooth look” under white pants, but did not like that the pantyhose rolled up her leg. Blakely moved to Atlanta, where she continued working for Danka from 9-5, set aside her $5000 in savings and spent two years creating her product.[5] Blakely explained that she chose the name “Spanks” because of the “k” sound in the internationally-recognized “Coca-Cola” and “Kodak.”[6] She changed the spelling to “Spanx” at the last minute after reading that made-up names sold better.[7] After her product was turned down by several hosiery factories, Blakely brought her idea to Neiman Marcus, where she convinced the buying rep by modeling her white pants with and without Spanx.[8] She then brought the product to Bloomingdale’s, Saks and Bergdorf Goodman.[7]

Once Spanx was created, Blakely sent several of her products to The Oprah Winfrey Show, and in November 2000, the brand was featured in Oprah's Favorite Things.[9] In 2001, Blakely made an arrangement with QVC to feature her product.[7] In 2011, Spanx reported revenue of just under $250 million,[10] and Forbes rated Blakely as the youngest self-made female billionaire.[10] Spanx opened its first brick and mortar store in 2012.[10] In 2013, Jessica Alba, Adele and Jennifer Garner wore Spanx to the Oscars.[11] Gwyneth Paltrow also wears the brand.[12]

In 2021, Blackstone bought a majority stake in Spanx, valuing the company at $1.2 billion.[13] The deal was prepared by an all-female investment team from Blackstone,[14] and it was announced that the Board of Directors would be all-female, with Blakely serving as executive chairman.[13] At the same time, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Whitney Wolfe Herd also invested in Spanx.[15]

Corporate affairs

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In 2002, Laurie Ann Goldman, formerly at Coca Cola, was appointed CEO of Spanx.[16] She stepped down in 2014, and was replaced by Jan Singer, Nike’s head of apparel.[17] In 2024, Caroline (Cricket) Whitton was appointed as CEO and Jeanne Jackson as executive chair of the board.[18]

To celebrate the company’s $1.2 billion deal with Blackstone, employees received two first-class plane tickets and $10,000 each.[19]

Products and product lines

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Spanx has a range of sizes, from XS-3X.[20] The company has expanded from shapewear, intimates and hosiery to apparel, activewear,[1] loungewear,[21] and denim.[22] Their core collections include SPANXshape Booty Boost,[23][24] SPANX Air Essentials,[25] SPANXsculpt Seamless Power, SPANXsculpt OnCore,[26] and SPANXshape EveryWear SPANXsmooth Perfectfit.[23][27]

References

  1. ^ a b Shinners, Rebecca (August 13, 2024). "This Oprah-loved Brand Makes the Exercise Dress I've Been Wearing All Summer — Even on 90-degree Days". Travel + Leisure.
  2. ^ Zayas, Dory (September 20, 2024). "9 Of The Best Jeans For Curvy Women, From High-Waisted To Petite Inseam Styles". Forbes.
  3. ^ McLean, Rob; Disis, Jill (October 21, 2021). "Spanx, the shapewear brand, valued at $1.2 billion in Blackstone deal". CNN.
  4. ^ Tulshyan, Ruchika (December 5, 2012). "Spanx's Sara Blakely: Turning $5,000 into $1 billion with panties". CNN.
  5. ^ a b O'Connor, Clare (July 16, 2012). "How Sara Blakely of Spanx Turned $5,000 into $1 billion". Forbes.
  6. ^ "Spanx Founder Reveals How to Build a Billion-Dollar Business". ABC News. November 28, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c O'Connor, Clare (April 12, 2016). "Undercover Billionaire: Sara Blakely Joins The Rich List Thanks To Spanx". Forbes.
  8. ^ Lake, Sydney (February 27, 2024). "Spanx founder Sara Blakely's $1 billion idea started with just $5,000 in savings and wanting to solve her own problem". Fortune.
  9. ^ Makinson, Rachel (October 21, 2024). "How Spanx Founder Sara Blakely Created A Billion-Dollar Brand". CEO Today.
  10. ^ a b c O'Connor, Clare (November 15, 2012). "Watch Out, Victoria's Secret: Spanx Billionaire Sara Blakely Opens First Retail Store". Forbes.
  11. ^ Chan, Jennifer (February 21, 2013). "2013 Oscars Fashion Scoop: Adele, Jessica Alba and Jennifer Garner Get Support From Spanx". E News.
  12. ^ Chan, Jennifer (April 25, 2024). "Karlie Kloss, Gwyneth Paltrow, and More Celebs Wear This Spanx Sweatshirt That's 'the Comfiest Thing' Shoppers Own". People.
  13. ^ a b Gottfried, Miriam (October 20, 2021). "Blackstone Buying Majority Stake in Spanx". The Wall Street Journal.
  14. ^ Haverstock, Eliza (April 21, 2022). "Sara Blakely Is A Billionaire (Again) After Selling A Majority Of Spanx To Blackstone". Forbes.
  15. ^ Hirsch, Lauren (November 18, 2021). "Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon join in a private equity takeover of Spanx". The New York Times.
  16. ^ Leahey, Colleen (February 12, 2014). "SPANX CEO out after building the mega-brand". Fortune.
  17. ^ O'Connor, Clare (June 5, 2014). "Billionaire Spanx Founder Hires Nike Head Of Apparel As New CEO". Forbes.
  18. ^ Lockwood, Lisa (February 5, 2024). "Spanx Appoints Caroline (Cricket) Whitton CEO and Jeanne Jackson Executive Chair". Women's Wear Daily.
  19. ^ Woodyatt, Amy (October 27, 2021). "Spanx employees given $10,000 and two first-class plane tickets". CNN.
  20. ^ Guerra, Julia (February 1, 2024). "What to Know About Spanx and Its Sculpting Benefits". InStyle.
  21. ^ Braun-Silva, Bethany (April 12, 2024). "Get ready for Spring with these new arrivals from SPANX". ABC News.
  22. ^ Deyo, Jessica (March 5, 2024). "Spanx leans into apparel offering with first-ever global campaign". RetailDive.
  23. ^ a b Cepeda, Genevieve; Johnson, Erin; Denby, Laura (October 25, 2024). "The Best Spanx We Tested Goes Beyond Shapewear — Shop Our Favorite Lounge Pants, Jeans, Bras, and More". People.
  24. ^ Belfiore, Emily (October 17, 2023). "As a Travel Editor, I Live in These Celeb-loved Leggings — and They Just Dropped in a New Fall Color". Travel + Leisure.
  25. ^ VanDerBill, Brittany (April 20, 2024). "Gwyneth Paltrow Owns This 'Really Great' Spanx Half-Zip Sweatshirt and Leggings Set in at Least Two Colors". People.
  26. ^ Rodriguez, Chinea; Flanagan, Hanna (July 30, 2024). "The Best Shapewear Pieces for Summer". The Cut.
  27. ^ Baudler, Averi (September 17, 2024). "Spanx Restocked Its Sale Section with 130+ Fall-Friendly Fashion Finds, Including Popular Jeans and Leggings". People.

Thank you! Red Workout Pants (talk) 18:43, 4 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]