Underlines chats to Dawn Barber who founded UKTights.com in 2005 and today it is the world’s largest hosiery retailer. She also launched UKSwimwear.com in 2009 and by 2016 UKLingerie.com was live. Dawn is a larger than life personality but despite the laughs it has not all been plain sailing. She has forged a series of successful e-commerce businesses and managed to have 4 children along the way. Her company is very much a family affair as they work in differing roles within the business.
Life before hosiery and lingerie
“I’ve been on both sides – doing buying and sales. I was a buyer (for my sins!) many years ago in the technical field with a spend of £3.5 million buying for three companies (I had started at the bottom as a wirer putting wires on pins on the shop floor to make automatic test equipment. I went to night school and learned how to type, thereafter I got a job as sales support in the offices – then they moved me up the ranks to head buyer). I was there for just under 5 years but then I was predominantly in recruitment – as a head-hunter moving people in the IT industry (mainly sales people in the CAD arena).
“So I have run several successful businesses and one that failed – really if you have never failed in business you are no-one! I admit that I have no official training but I am the Financial and Managing Director here – I can stretch a pound a mile!!”
Why leg wear and hosiery?
“When I was expecting Poppy {her fourth child} I could not really go on the road meeting potential clients and I thought long and hard for months before we launched it. Because my husband Jonathan was a contractor at the time programming other people’s websites it made sense to do e-commerce of some description. I have always loved nice hosiery and having thought about what ladies would always need I came up with tights. Did not seem as competitive as make-up, handbags or lingerie so the idea took root. We launched on 6th September 2005, six weeks after Poppy was born.”
Over the years Dawn has built up her product portfolio with over 65 brands of legwear at every price point and can claim to be the world’s largest hosiery retailer. Of course, her natural enthusiasm and optimism with family support led her to launch www.ukswimwear.com on 10th December 2009 and www.uklingerie.com on 15th October 2016.
And along came Covid-19?
“COVID-19 has been a very worrying time for everyone. I was convinced that no-one would want hosiery, lingerie or swimwear but then I realised people were stuck at home with very little to do. True the swimwear has taken a bit of a dive, but lingerie and hosiery have held up well.
“It has been the sexier garments that have been selling for us. People bored at home: what is there to do – only eat, drink, paint the house, do the garden and when that’s complete get some bedroom action!” she chuckles. “The stockings, the suspender belts along with crotchless tights have all done very well. Therefore as a business, we are on a steady footing to work our way out of this situation. I hope that things continue steadily but of course we cannot forecast what is round the corner with any reliability at the moment.”
How do you think you can future-proof your business?
“The best thing that we have found is to ensure a diverse catalogue of great products. If you are only offering one type of item then you are putting all your eggs into one basket. We are about choice. We have always been about choice and that’s not going to change. People want to get their hands on truly high quality products – we carry products that we know our ‘fans’ are going to get enthusiastic about.
“On a more technical note, offering people the best online experience using cutting edge technology is vital. We are constantly updating our website with exciting new features, security updates and things to make shopping easier, engaging and more enjoyable.”
