Lingerie firm hits the height of fashion

Andrea Billard Haute Lingerie, which sells to independent boutique and online retailers, has already supplied pieces for use by Girls Aloud and singer-turned-model Rachel Stevens.

Now the firm, based in Sheffield, is in talks with a boutique in the US and hopes to sign an agreement next week. The firm has also spoken to Harvey Nichols in Dubai and has had its items signed up by an American product placement business which works with shows such as The Vampire Diaries as well as Hollywood films.

Andrea Billard, the entrepreneur who launched the firm in January 2009, has also boosted her consumer sales after some well-established boutiques were hit by the downturn.

Miss Billard, 36, said she had planned to spend her first year concentrating on gaining exposure for the brand rather than aggressively pursuing sales but, six weeks after launching, she was approached by a stylist to supply pieces for a video shoot for a Girls Aloud tour.

This led to more exposure and won the attention of new stockists, with her brand being used in several celebrity shoots, including the 2010 calendar produced by former S Club 7 star Ms Stevens.

With Britain mired in recession throughout last year, however, obtaining new stockists became harder, despite the profile of the brand, said Miss Billard.

“Not only were they unwilling to take on a new brand, they were experiencing cash flow problems and also had concerns as to whether independent lingerie brands like mine would also be able to weather the storm and not leave them high and dry.

“In the six months or so in between the buying seasons, several well established boutiques had actually closed, a few being the ‘big name’ boutiques which was quite worrying.

“However, after the relaunch of my website and also from the exposure in consumer magazines, I started gaining more attention from the consumers and a second avenue of sales.”

Now she wants to grow the business by working with hotels as well as more deals with celebrities and international contracts. It currently has nine UK stockists as well as one in Australia, and turnover will reach six figures this year.

Miss Billard said doing more business with major names would give confidence to the smaller independent boutiques who want to sell the collections but might be worried about potential risks. She typically sells to either high earners with disposable cash, for whom a £90 bra is affordable, as well as younger “aspirational” buyers who have seen the products in consumer magazines.

The lingerie is made in Alfreton, Derbyshire, although Ms Billard said she may set up her own production unit. She is expecting her first child and so plans to hire a sales agent this summer and draw up a development plan.

Last year the firm signed up Nicki Donohoe as the “face” of the brand. The Sheffield model has appeared in Coronation Street and Emmerdale as well as on regular guest make-up artist spots on shopping channel Ideal World TV.

Designs on success

Andrea Billard worked in sportswear for many years, initially for an equestrian and golfwear brand in West Yorkshire, before joining Sheffield United FC, working on designs for the team strip, merchandise and in-house graphics.

She later joined her father’s events security business to cover the time he was away due to ill health. She enjoyed it so much, however, she stayed for eight years. Meanwhile, she had a small ladieswear collection and, after a break from designing, decided to ‘re-boot’ her career in this field by setting up her own brand.

“As lingerie was the only type of clothing I had never designed, I decided to give it a try.”