In 1919 two manufacturing technicians, Harry Hibbert and Oswald Buckland formed a hosiery company in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, to manufacture and sell ladies’ stockings, with a workforce of only 10 people and two machines.
Having acquired the name Pretty Polly, Hibbert and Buckland quickly built up the brand name under the famous parrot trademark.
During the period, silk and rayon seamless stockings were in vogue, with fully fashioned stockings first appearing in 1924.
The trade mark shown was the first to be used when Hibbert and Buckland took over the name of Pretty Polly in 1926.
In 1927, in payment of outstanding debts, Hibbert and Buckland took over a hosiery wholesaling company originally set up by a bookmaker’s daughter.
The bookmaker had prospered greatly from the legendary racehorse, Pretty Polly, and so insisted that his daughter’s business bear the same name. Pretty Polly the brand was formed with the racing heritage remaining today in the form of the Pretty Polly Stakes.
Nylon, invented in 1937, revolutionized the hosiery industry.
The first Nylon stockings were knitted under top secret location in Maryland in the U.S. before the invention was officially announced a year later.
Nylons first went on sale in 1940, restricted to 3 pairs per customer. The initial stock of 4 million pairs in the U.S. was sold out in four days.
Meanwhile Hibbert and Buckland had achieved an excellent reputation for high quality. Between 1932 and 1938, annual sales of fine gauge hosiery increased to over 48 million pairs in the U.K. Hibbert and Buckland emerged from the Second World War in a position of some strength and stability, and so they embarked upon a path of expansion and prosperity, helped by the introduction of Nylon.
By 1950 there had been a rising trend in the output of hosiery.
However, this trend was brought to a halt and reversed in the mid 1950’s by the world recession in textiles.
Rapid recovery was made in the late 1950’s which continued well into the 1960’s.
By 1957 Hibberts had pushed Pretty Polly up the rank of second in Britain’s growing stocking trade. The market percentage was not great, but the brand had come a long way already.
In 1957, Thomas Tilling an ex-transport group with an eye on profitable mergers took over Hibberts and their brand name, and promptly ignored the former.
Thomas Tilling also owned a large part of Walton Hosiery, who owned the Ballerina, brand name. They were also based in Sutton-In-Ashfield. When Mr Walton retired, he sold the rest of the shares in Walton Hosiery.
The two companies, Walton Hosiery and Hibbert and Buckland, were combined in 1961, under the name of Pretty Polly Holdings Limited, with Charles Meadows as managing director.
By the 1960’s, Pretty Polly had firmly established a foothold in the hosiery industry in Great Britain.
By 1959 Pretty Polly had introduced the first ever non-run seam free stockings. Pretty Polly’s high reputation for engineering competence, style and innovation could be seen throughout the 1960’s. Between 1962 and 1966 the company were one of the only seamfree companies with ladder proof bands in the welt and toe in all their seamfree styles. With such innovation and style, Pretty Polly needed a brand image which was instantly recognisable and thus the unfeminine parrot logo was changed to the two floral P’s in 1962.
A new brand identity was launched reflected on packaging, posters and advertising.
The short, appealing and simple message throughout was to be Pretty Polly for Pretty Legs.
March 1967 saw Pretty Polly invent and launch Hold-Ups.
This new product gave women the freedom from suspender belts and got rid of any unsightly bulges that could occur from wearing suspenders.
They were such an overnight success that Pretty Polly became the number one brand from that day onwards. Much publicity was given to the hold-ups and they were even featured on the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World programme.
By 1966 the Pretty Polly success story, resulted in an urgent need for further production capacity and in the spring of 1967, Killarney Hosiery Company, a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary in Killarney, Eire, commenced production.
The new factory was probably the most modern up to date hosiery factory in the world and contributed a great deal to the production capabilities of the company.
Pretty Polly launched new one size stockings, which were called “Leprechaun”, influenced by production in Ireland! The product was sold in a distinctive little tub and was backed up by advertising and Point Of Sale material.
These were followed in 1968 by the more controversial Pretty Polly one piece tight.
Its visual impact was not attractive and it was therefore necessary to persuade the public to wear it. With the advent of the mini skirt, however, little persuasion was needed.
Coloured tights were the order of the day as tights were becoming more of a fashion statement.
In 1982 Pretty Polly introduced Lycra into the 15 denier range and were the first hosiery brand to successfully combine ultrafine bare Lycra with a fine denier textured yam giving a much improved fit for fashion hosiery.
In 1988, ostensibly in celebration of nylon’s 50th birthday, Pretty Polly launched ’Nylons’ with phenomenal success. The brand provided a glamorous sheen, a sheer look and Lycra for a great fit.
Creating the glamour of war time Nylons using the technology of the late 1980’s. Supported with advertising and the usual Pretty Polly theatre.
A year later Pretty Polly developed their finest sheer hosiery—5 denier—the first company in the world to produce hosiery in this denier.
As the 80’s progressed, Pretty Polly began a gradual move to update the brand. A more contemporary identity was developed and once again the logo was updated. The new logo was designed to be leaner, trimmer and altogether more contemporary and stylish.
Advertising and marketing have always played an important part in building the Pretty Polly brand. Press campaigns have been used regularly throughout Pretty Polly’s history together with famous poster campaigns.
Pretty Polly is also notable for its innovative use of television advertising beginning in 1980 with the first ever TV hosiery campaign. Pretty consistently backed its ranges with memorable TV ads including Nylons, Legacy and the stylish Legworks campaign in latter years.
Moving into a new decade, and Pretty Polly is once launches a major advertising campaign for 1991.
Featuring the hugely successful romantic commercial featured in 1990.
Supported with a press campaign to launch the new Velvet Sheers Range.
This decade would prove to be a major period for high profile campaigns for the brand.
1992 and leggings once again become a staple fashion essential widely predicted to become an important market sector.
Pretty Polly was keen to be part of this sector introducing eye catching packaging and stylish designs.
Moving into 1994 and the girl of the moment was Laura Bailey with the press and gossip columns wanting to know all about her and her alleged romance with Richard Gere.
A very British supermodel, Laura was announced as the face of Pretty Polly supporting the launch of the autumn opaque range.
The campaign featured throughout national & local press and built upon the keen media interest in Pretty Polly. This was also translated into marketing material for retailers to use to promote.
The beginning of 1996 saw glamour and fashion return to Pretty Polly with the introduction of Italia—offering Italian luxury, sophistication and styling in a range of beautifully finished products, and Opaques—a comprehensive range of tights, stockings and hold ups in a variety of textures and deniers to suit a wide target audience. With many different styles to choose from Pretty Polly had developed a proven track record of innovation, consistently producing stylish products of the highest quality to meet consumer demand.
In 1996 PP made headline news, developed by advertising guru Trevor Beattie, with the first ever vertical poster advertisements. The “Long Legs” campaign was instrumental in putting the image and glamour back into Pretty Polly brand, the most famous name in the hosiery market.
A huge poster was flown over London, making the headlines on the 10 O’clock news.
Having successfully begun to put the glamour back into the Pretty Polly brand name, distinct improvements were made to existing product and packaging. The momentum continued into Spring/Summer 1997 with the relaunch of Sheer Lights, hosiery made using the Sideria yam, which gives a cool feel and a slightly tanned look on leg.
Towards the end of the season, Pretty Polly hit the headlines once again with the launch of Resilience, a new product targeted at the biggest consumer issue with sheer hosiery, that of its lack of durability, with Resilience offering durability 20% higher than most sheer hosiery.
In Autumn 1997, Pretty Polly launched Secret Slimmer with the most traffic stopping advertising ever seen.
Shapely model, Miriam’s dress disappeared to reveal the tummy shaping tights on billboards across the country. Miriam herself launched the campaign producing massive PR coverage on TV and in newspapers and magazines.
NY Legs was also launched to be ’the one and only hosiery brand for young, style conscious consumers’.
Featuring a range of fashionable line up, the range was featured in press advertising using huge legs shot against famous New York back drops.
1998 was exciting year for Pretty Polly as the brand expanded into new categories with the launch of Miss Polly’s—tights for 5 to 12 year olds.
A competition to find the face of Miss Polly’s ensured excellent PR coverage for the brand.
Fashionable styling and cool packaging created a sector that appealed to the girls that was designed specifically for them.
By 1998, research showed that Pretty Polly need to get to the bottom of what women really wanted from their hosiery and act on it. Major improvements to address the issues surrounding hosiery were made to the entire Opaques range, with a policy to improve product features such as having deep comfort waistbands and new comfort toe seams even on everyday styles.
Following the trend towards trouser suits, and listening to the concerns of women who wear knee highs, Pretty Polly launched ’All Day Up’ a range of knee highs with special comfort tops that stay up, don’t leave marks and don’t feel too tight.
This range was extended into tights and hold ups, supported by the attention grabbing ’space hopper’ campaign fronted by Sarah Cox.
To enhance all these launches, and to make 98 the most high profile, exciting year for Pretty Polly yet, there was one secret ingredient left: Eva Herzigova as the face and legs of Pretty Polly! Eva appeared in a national advertising campaign, on point of sale and in windows wearing nothing but Pretty Polly tights.
This heralded the start of a national tour of Leg Clinics, where Pretty Polly gave advice to women on every aspect of legs and how to make them drop dead gorgeous. Major PR activity surrounding this campaign ensured that no one was left wondering who is the most dynamic, authoritative, famous name in hosiery.
In 1998 Pretty Polly expanded into the bodywear market with a fantastically popular range of underwear called Niks, in innovative eye-catching grab packs. The catchy name combined with the superior quality and fashionable styles ensured Pretty Polly’s first foray into intimates was a great success.
The following year 1999, going on the back of the Nixs success bras were launched backed with a massive £8 million marketing budget. Included in the campaign was a television advertisement with the tagline 'Oooh it’s the way they make you feel' along with a direct 'counter' against a major competitor encouraging women that they 'Don’t squeeze them lift them'.
The sensational products were marketed as feeling just as good as they looked and targeted at 25-55 year olds providing them with really wearable styles and a wardrobe of different looks. The launch was a great success proving once again that Pretty Polly is the leader in innovation and diversity.
The same year, underlining its position as Number 1 hosiery brand, Pretty Polly also introduced a range of hosiery onto the market that would provide every girl in the UK with a pair of tights to suit her skin tone. Perfectly Naturals was launched and the star of the campaign was Jemma Kidd.
Backed by continuing investment in machinery and yarn technology, and supported by creative marketing campaigns, Pretty Polly the U.K.’s leading brand is committed to producing the very best in hosiery.
Pretty Polly were the first to use celebrity endorsement for a brand.
The stylish Italia range had a great new face lift, with iconic packaging once again hitting the press as a huge banner was displayed outside the head office in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
A decision was made to move into PR rather than a more traditional route of advertising, as links with Julian Macdonald helped raise awareness on the fashion industry.
The lingerie range enjoyed continued success with Rachael Stevens ’Pop Princess’ fronting brand awareness campaign.
Moving into 2004 Pretty Polly reclaimed the legwear market after making a decision with withdraw the lingerie products from a very cluttered market place. The hot new item for 2004 and the greatest innovation since the hold up.
The launch of Link Up developed a stocking range that simply hooked into newly developed briefs no more fiddling about with buckles or sitting on clips.
Jamelia was signed to be the face of Pretty Polly. With fantastic legs and a high achiever in the music industry. The launch of ’Link Up’ was supported with stunning imagery of Jamelia supported with great shots featuring the Pretty Polly.
2005 and still gaining momentum, the brand was the darling of the press once more. Continuing innovation in marketing and product development, Pretty Polly extended the successful Niks range into Bodywear offering a contemporary range of products perfect for a young consumer.
Funky packaging with great grab appeal supported the launch.
Spring 2005 and Gemma Kidd joins Jamelia to promote the new Naturals range. Almost transparent, and knitted with Sideria yarn, they are a perfect match for every skin tone.
The summer was spent with Holly Bailey a totally unique proposition for Pretty Polly, she had the title of Club Women for the year for the past five years. Her experience had also led her into becoming a stunt driver—you will have seen her at least once! The Fiat Punto commercial driving through Rome and many driving roles in film.
Appealing to Pretty Polly with an all-girls crew, the Pretty Polly Racing team was launched, and whilst no trophies were held high the team did fantastically well racing on an equal footing with the men in the British Rally Car Championships.
Autumn 2005 Pretty Polly was recognised and awarded superbrands status.
Only those brands already highly rated by the council qualify for inclusion within the programme.
A ’Superbrand’ has established the finest reputation in its field.
This would open the door for many other brands wanting to link up with Pretty Polly to help promote sales.
Now synonymous with beautiful women...
Autumn 2005 and the No 1 girl band teamed up with the No 1 legwear brand to create the perfect hit. Fantastic media coverage was created especially as one band member left half-way through the campaign. Actually great news for Pretty Polly as we had images of the new band member the press were waiting to see. Featured in the Red Dress Video Competitions to meet and great the girls and in-store events all ensured Pretty Polly remained at No 1 in the legwear charts.
As a result of breakthrough technology in 2006, Pretty Polly launched.
Whilst it would take a while for consumers to believe this concept the brand knew that this range would be huge.
Fresh, a range of socks & knee highs that contained a silver finish. Not only did they look great they stopped you getting smelly feet.
By Autumn 2006 the hosiery market had been in decline for nearly 10 years, but interest in Footless tights sparked in main by the fashion press resulted in a new younger consumer wanting to buy tights.Once again tights were becoming the must have fashion accessory for the season.
Consumer research recognised that there were younger women that needed to wear support hosiery. Many women spend all day on their feet including nurses and air hostesses, acknowledging this the brand launched Leg Lift a contemporary support range backed by cabin crew for BMI.
With a renewed interest in the market, Pretty Polly changed tactics on marketing campaigns and recruited creative agency Point Blank to develop an outdoor campaign.
The tallest billboard in the UK was booked at Chiswick Roundabout and a specially-built 3D image created.
Supported with 48 sheets and mega rears Pretty Polly was again being talked about by the advertising press.
2007 and back under private ownership: resulted in increased brand investment. Beattie McGuinness Bungay were appointed as the new advertising agency.
The first campaign was for Silver Fresh. First to market to provide a true cool finish with total anti-bacterial control, the campaign took a tongue in cheek look at stinky feet.
Once again we featured on the tallest billboard in the UK, at point of whiff in gym changing rooms, perimeter advertising at the Ladies Cricket World Cup.
Building the fashion credentials of the brand and celebrating the joy of legs the brand capitalised on the buoyant opaques market.
The campaign was kick-started with a living billboard, using live dancers in the style of the Japanese art of Kuruko. The campaign extended into outdoor poster sites, and magazines culminating with a film showcased at the ’Take That’ 2007 stadium tour, entitled the ‘Changing of the Tights’.
A new web site was created as the brand and the brand continued to be recognised as the leg expert brand.
2008 and Pretty Polly, the leg expert brand stretches into leg cosmetics with the launch of Love Legs. By offering products to pamper & ’dress’ bare legs Pretty Polly was able to offer retailers an option to help sales during the summer months when hosiery sales would traditionally decline.
Supported with a £3 million advertising campaign encompassing magazine, outdoor posters and cinema advertising along side the release of the highest box office film Sex & The City.
Campaign was created by Beattie McGuiness Bungay & shot by internationally famous fashion photographer Rankin. Pretty Polly was rewarded with a Pure Beauty Award in recognition for a fantastic launch, a much sought-after industry prize.
Autumn 2008, and the success of Love Legs was followed up with the launch of Secret Slimmer, capitalising on the growing shaping market, by offering young women an opportunity to cheat their way to gorgeousness. Featuring a second campaign again shot by Rankin, the brand featured an unknown model discovered by television reality show “Coleens Real Women”.
The campaign was launched with a protest on Harley Street, with 15 leggy models marching through the west end of London with placards offering a quicker, cheaper alternative to cosmetic surgery. With the hosiery market continuing to decline and a global recession looming, marketing the brand was becoming ever more important.
 Pretty Polly Advert No 1 |  Pretty Polly Advert No 4 |  Pretty Polly Advert No 2 |
 Pretty Polly Advert No 3 |