The Pretty Polly story

For a company that made its name on a parrot brand selling stockings Pretty Polly has become a 21st century icon that offers everything from sheer stockings that lift and condition your legs if you are on your feet all day to exciting lingerie.

The Pretty Polly story began in 1919 when two manufacturing technicians, Harry Hibbert and Oswald Buckland formed a hosiery company in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, (the same site on which Pretty Polly stands today) to manufacture and sell ladies’ stockings. In 1927, 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. Having acquired the name Pretty Polly, Hibbert and Buckland quickly built up the brand name under the famous parrot trade mark. During the period, silk and rayon seamless stockings were in vogue, with fully fashioned stockings first appearing in 1924.

Nylon, invented in 1937, revolutionized the hosiery industry. The first Nylon stockings were knitted under top secret conditions 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 .1 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. After the Second World War, Hibbert and Buckland expanded, helped by the introduction of Nylon. In 1959 Pretty Polly introduced the first ever non-run seam free stockings. In March 1967 Pretty Polly invented and launched Hold Ups. These were instantly successful, freeing women from suspender belts. The product was such an overnight success that Pretty Polly became the number one selling brand in the U.K. Also in 1967, Pretty .Polly launched new one size stockings. These were followed in 1968 by the Pretty Polly one piece tight, an overwhelming success with the advent of the mini skirt.

The birth of the maxi skirt and revival of denim jeans in the early 1970's dictated a need for a different hosiery product. Pretty Polly responded with the Sheer Knee High. Throughout the decade Pretty Polly remained the hosiery innovator introducing the first low cost high quality Support Tights, the first tights with knitted in contrasting polyester body and cotton gusset, the first lightweight control brief, the first tights with combined control top and sheer support leg, the first Super Lightweight Support Tights in 15 denier nylon.

Through the eighties, women's interest in hosiery increased as it became an even more important part of the fashion wardrobe, particularly with the strong trend towards sheerer hosiery. In 1982 Pretty Polly introduced Lycra into their 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, Pretty Polly launched 'Nylons' with phenomenal success. The brand provided a glamorous sheen, a sheer look and Lycra for a great fit. Today it continues to be a number one best seller. A year later Pretty Polly developed their finest sheer hosiery - 5 denier - The first company in the world to produce hosiery in this denier. By the late '80's, fashion trends were to include textured tights. In 1987, Pretty Polly introduced 40 denier Opaques, later followed by heavier deniers as their popularity grew. In 1991 Pretty Polly created a world first by developing the use of microfibres in both sheer and opaque hosiery.

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. 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 in the current range, Pretty Polly have a proven track record of innovation, consistently producing stylish products of the highest quality to meet consumer demand. Backed by continuing investment in machinery and yam technology, and supported by creative marketing campaigns, Pretty Polly the U.K.'s leading brand is committed to producing the very best in hosiery.

In 1996 Pretty Polly made headline news 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.

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.

Today Pretty Polly do pretty much everything. From ultra-modern lingerie in a range of fabrics to cutting edge hosiery designed for the 21st century woman.