about spanx
Spanx was spawned the day Sara Blakely decided to don a pair of cream-colored, form-fitting pants. (If that's not a show of sartorial bravery, we don't know what is.) The catch? She wanted to stifle a smattering of cellulite with her favorite control-top pantyhose, but didn't want them peeking out of her open-toed shoes. So, like a regular fashion renegade, she simply cut the feet off her pantyhose—and the rest is hosiery history.

Sara patented her now-famous footless pantyhose after surviving several 'snags' along the way. She launched Spanx with no business background—just a great sense of humor and the conviction to go with her gut (which she would later figure out how to flatten with a pair of tummy-tucking panties).

Since its start, Spanx has expanded to carry a whole line of chic shapewear and innovative underpinnings, like the Bod-A-Bing! collection of clothing with secret slimming liners built in. Every Spanx item is designed to make dressing less of a drag by eliminating common conundrums like VPL (visible panty lines), ride-up, waistline spillage—even grid butt. (Think fishnets with no control top…you figure it out.) By putting a twist on the traditional and listening to women's wishes, Sara has managed to keep her company ahead of the 'curve'. We say: thanks, Spanx.