Red, White and Bluebella

01 February 2017

Now in its 12th year, the British brand is planning to expand into the US market later this year. Alongside, their SS17 collection modeled by Tigerlilly Taylor, founder, Emily Bendell, talks inspiration and strategy in an exclusive interview.

What is the story and vision behind Bluebella?
The story and vision for the brand was simple. Fashion-led luxurious lingerie and nightwear collections made with the highest quality at an affordable price. I felt the Instagram generation’s relationship to lingerie had evolved beyond the traditional binary view of lingerie as either functional or sexy yet the market held onto to these old concepts. Our customers see lingerie as a fashion crossover purchase or an intimate self-indulgence. They might style it up as outerwear and they want contemporary, empowered design. We aim to redefine sensuality.
Where do you find your inspiration?
We take inspiration from the world around us and today’s lifestyle and fashion trends. Our designs often have a provocative edge. We are endlessly inspired by the allure of the hidden, the mystery of what lies beneath, and the illusion of nudity just waiting to be found. I am also inspired by our amazing customers and fans on our Instagram feed. Seeing our customers wearing and styling our product in their own unique way gives us such satisfaction as well as inspiring new ideas. It’s a creative circle!

How are you planning to position yourself in the US market?
We do not know how to be anything other than authentic so the brand vision and everything we stand for – beautiful fashion led product, strong empowered and inclusive rhetoric and imagery, a modern take on sensuality – will be exactly the same for the US market. And our amazing affordability will of course remain - one of our favorite mottos is ‘never save anything for best!’
Who will your target customers be?
Our customers are typically cosmopolitan women who love fashion, who are spirited and confident and who buy fabulous lingerie to please themselves above all else. We don’t like to define our customer by age. Age is just a number and if you’re old, it's your own fault!
How are you planning to grab their attention?
We have become well known in the UK through the strength of our product and our creative marketing. So watch this space!