Business Essentials

Meet 2021 Natwest everywoman 'Woman of the Year Award' Winner!

Meet 2021 Natwest everywoman 'Woman of the Year Award' Winner!

Monday, 13 December 2021

The NatWest everywoman of the Year Award was presented to Brie Read, founder of Snag Group, who turned every woman’s nightmare into a multi-million-pound success story.  Brie was also one of the Demeter Award (sponsored by Nutriment) Finalists. Find out more about the Demeter Award finalists here.

 

Brie came up with idea for Snag Tights after her own tights fell down in public. Frustrated and uncomfortable she simply took them off. Reliving the moment and the story, Brie was quick to draw on her decade of experience working in marketing for fast growth companies and her passion for inclusivity. The ideas aligned and she knew she had the beginnings of a great entrepreneurial idea. Despite hosiery boasting a $53 billion industry there were no properly fitting tights for women and all tights were made to one size model. Brie’s next step was to work with Italian factories to manage the recondition of machines that had been making one size tights since the 1950s. This vital innovation and investment meant Snag tights would be the only ones available in every possible size from a 2 to a 36.

 

Today the business has a £10m turnover drawn from 1,500 different product lines, employs 120 staff, and exports globally. Brie has also built a customer community affectionately known as Snagglers, communicating effectively through Instagram, Facebook and TikTok as well as her own channels. They model, share and celebrate the inclusivity of the brand. When lockdown saw sales fall by half, Brie initially put her effort into 24,000 free pairs of tights for NHS key workers and hoped for support, but it soon became clear there was none and funds would run out in six months. Brie called out to her Snagglers and in just five days £1.5 million was raised in SOS ‘Save Our Snag’ advance pay vouchers, providing Brie with the cashflow she needed for the business to survive. A leading voice in size inclusivity, Brie cites a passion for no woman to feel excluded as being her driver. Environmental consideration is key and the newly reconditioned machines have also allowed Brie to pioneer the first recyclable tights.

 

To register your interest and be notified when nominations open for the 2022 Awards, please CLICK HERE and submit your details.

 

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