Bluebella appoints new wholesale manager to drive US expansion

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Mar 27, 2017

British lingerie brand Bluebella has tapped Joanne Bolton to drive a major expansion programme in America as its new wholesale manager.

Bolton joins from lingerie brand Gossard and Berlei, where she was responsible for department store and all international sales for nine years.

"This was an offer I could not refuse,” she said. “Bluebella is such an exciting brand and I think it has got its product and pricing absolutely spot on. We are in a great position to really drive sales forward in the States and right across Europe.”

"We have two fantastic agents on the East and West coasts and there is an exciting new PR plan for North America kicking off,” she added, saying that "buyers are so receptive to products of this quality at a price point which is neither too expensive nor too cheap but just right." 

Bluebella has also recently recruited two retail heavyweights as part of its growth strategy. Experienced retail investor Richard Sims has joined the brand as its new chairman and Eva Pascoe is new non-executive director.

The appointments follow the company’s successful crowdfunding campaign which raised nearly £1 million in December. It is now preparing its launch in the US, scheduled for autumn.

"We are thrilled that Jo has joined us. She has a fantastic reputation in the industry and will introduce our brand to millions of new customers across all markets but with a particular focus on the States," commented CEO Emily Bendell.

Bluebella was launched in 2005 as a retail destination for fashion-led and luxurious lingerie at affordable prices. Its designs stand out for their unusual fabrics and trims which create original and modern silhouettes.