ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: BRA
TAPE_NUMBER: EN9934
IN_TIME: 10:04:18
LENGTH: 01:45
SOURCES: APTN/LNN
RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS UK/INTERNET
FEED:
SCRIPT: xfa ULTIMO HELPS THAT SAGGING FEELING
STORY:NEW BRA
LOCATION:LONDON
DATE:AUGUST 19TH '99
In the underwear industry's neverending search to keep women feeling uplifted, a young Scottish entrepreneur, MICHELLE MONE, has come up with a new version of the cleavage-boosting wonderbra which she claims "offers greater cleavage enhancement and does so with comfort".
"ULTIMO-the ultimate bra" apparently achieves almost superhuman results thanks to gel cushions (containing a secret ingredient) which are sewn into the bra. When worn, the gel adapts to the contours of the body to form comfortable pads underneath the breasts, pushing them together and upwards.
The launch of the new bra was held yesterday at the London department store, SELFRIDGES, where Mone explained that her reasons for designing a new bra were partly personal ; "Quite frankly, if I'd had the perfect bust, this product might never have come to the market! As a woman, I found that most cleavage bras, by their very nature, were heavily padded and uncomfortable to wear. I eventually realised that there had to be an alternative to the discomfort and feeling of being constricted. It was then that I started work on the development of a bra that offers women the cleavage enhancement they wish, and one that's so comfortable that they can wear it every day"
Available initially in black or white and produced in the finest lace and microfibre fabrics, Ultimo is now available in sizes 32-38. cups A-C, from major department UK stores and retails for £35. A version of the bra which changes colour according to the surrounding light will also be introduced by the end of this year-just in time for millennium celebrations....
Just as interesting as the bra itself is Michelle Mone's rise from rags to riches. After leaving school at the age of fifteen (due to an illness in the family), Michelle spent several years modelling as well as working for Labatts Brewers in her home town of Glasgow. When Labatts moved to Whitbread, Mone chose the redundancy option and used the money to fund the launch of her own business, MJM International.
In 1997 MJM won the title of Business Start Up Of The Year, awarded by the Glasgow Development Agency. Mone's business enjoyed early success when Michelle spotted "Monique Silicone Breast Enhancers" while on holiday in the USA and secured the licence for the UK and EU.
The go-ahead designer then spent two and a half years working with a team of European bra technicians to develop Ultimo, successfully juggling family and work. Baby number three, Beth, was born only a few weeks ago.
For further information, please contact MARY-JO DEVLIN of SPENCE ALLAN PR in Glasgow on (+00-xx) 0141.332.4445 or fax 0141.353.3671
SHOTLIST: VS MODELS WALKING DOWN OXFORD STREET IN ULTIMO BRAS; WORKMEN WATCHING MODELS WALK PAST; SOT MICHELLE MONE, INVENTOR, ULTIMO BRA; PULL BACK FROM BRAS TO MS MODELS; MS MODELS POSING; C/A PHOTOGRAPHERS; ZOOM TWIN MODELS (TWIN ON LEFT IS WEARING ULTIMO BRA); FILE OF OLD BRA ADVERTISEMENT; SOT JULIA DAY, MARKETING WEEK MAGAZINE; ACTORS DRESSED AS PLASTIC SURGEONS `PROTESTING' AGAINST ULTIMO BRA; AMERICAN WOMAN EXAMINING BRA; OLD WOMAN PASSING PROTEST; VOXPOP AMERICAN WOMAN; VOXPOP ENGLISH WOMAN; VOXPOP ENGLISH WOMAN; WORKERS WATCHING FROM CAFE TABLE; MODELS WALKING DOWN STREET?