Our Story
In 2006 founder Julia Jones, realising the trend for online shopping was growing by the day, quit her banking job and decided to start an eBay store. Buying bundles of off price clothing, she soon discovered that when selling a ratio pack of sizes from 8 to 24 the larger sizes were flying out and she was always left with the smaller sizes. Julia then discovered a small wholesaler in Birmingham who sold larger sizes of more traditional underwear. There were some very interesting pieces! Nylon bloomers and extra extra firm foundation wear to name but two.
So these were duly purchased and into the eBay shop they went. She now had a category called 'larger underwear' this was becoming fun!
Yet again these pieces sold very quickly and she built up a following of BBWs (big beautiful women) and cross dressers (due to the sizes of the clothing) - every day she was asked 'do you have a website'. Err no she would reply and openly admitted she didn't even know where to start with her own website but in October 2006 thought she needed to look into it and made an enquiry to the first online web design company she found on Ask Jeeves (pre Google days).
The development site took about 4 weeks and Julia honestly didn't know what to expect and when the email came through she was blown away and had a tear in her eye! The stunning signature olivey gold colour (which we still use today) was used as a frame to some beautiful lingerie in all kinds of bright colours. They looked amazing and she just had to sell those! So it was the web guys who really had the idea of the funky sexy lingerie.
In December 2006 Curvaceous Beauties was born. The online store actually went live on 1st December 2006 just in time for Christmas that year. The family was gathered around the computer that evening watching people add items to their baskets but no-one bought. It was a time when very few people bought from other websites apart from eBay, I can't even remember if Amazon was around, but we don't think so, anyway we digress - the next day we watched someone who had 6 or 7 things to their basket and we were shouting at the PC 'go on buy it, buy it' and she did - the lovely Amanda was our first customer! It was so exciting and such a head rush it was unreal. Order number 000001 what an achievement.
Over the years Curvaceous has evolved and changed. We are now on website number 5. We love the clean modern lines of our new website (new June this year) and we are always on the scout about for new products.
We were one of the first, if not the first, exclusively plus size lingerie stores online. Now all of the 'big boys' as we call them have jumped on the band wagon as happens but we still maintain our small company values and that's our USP. As we are still a small family company we can react quickly. In fact a lady asked if she could have a student discount code tonight at 9.45pm and yes we set one up for her. Can you imagine the 'big boys' doing that? Possibly not!
Julia has been in demand over the years and has appeared on TV and radio as an authority on issues associated with plus size clothing and styling. She has been a Consultant for some of those aforementioned 'big boys' and indeed it was her dream when she started to have stores and become a larger business but we actually like being a small independent. It keep us real as we always say!
Anyway now you know who we are - we would love to know you so please get in touch if you need any help - yes we are even here sometimes at 10pm ready with a discount code!!
The Jones Family x