A FORMER nurse and midwife wants to make the women of the North East feel a million dollars with luxurious lingerie they can buy online or try on in her specially-created boudoir.
Annette Keelty was inspired to start her own business when she faced problems sourcing authentic seamed stockings to wear at a vintage festival.
She said: “Unless you want to go to a department store, there really is a limited choice of places to buy lingerie in the North East.
“When I was looking for seamed stockings, I ended up phoning designers because I couldn’t find any in the shops.
“That gave me the idea to start Lingerie by Annette.”
Annette, who lives at Shincliffe near Durham City, only stocks British-made lingerie such as that designed by Hartlepool-born Michelle Taylor whose headquarters is here in Gateshead
And women who can’t find exactly what they are looking for in her extensive range of bras (from size 28A up to 40E), knickers, stocking, suspenders, corsetry and nightwear, can use her made-to-order service.
Annette said: “One of the beauties of using British designers is that clients can pick exactly what they want and have their items made to order. It’s a service you just can’t get with the big chain stores.
“I work with North East burlesque performers The Headline Honeys, and being able to order specially made creations for their stage shows is something the girls really appreciate.
“But you don’t have to be showing your gorgeous lingerie to anyone else to take advantage of this service. I really want everyone to be able to find the perfect lingerie to make them feel fabulous.”
Personal service is at the heart of Lingerie by Annette. Although run from www.lingeriebyannette.com, what makes the business different from other web-based shops is that customers can come to Annette’s specially-created boudoir at her home to try on their choices.
“Ordering online can be an impersonal experience,” said Annette.
“And although the internet means I can reach customers all over the world, I wanted ladies in the North East to have the option of trying before they buy. I want every lady that visits me to feel like a princess when they leave.”
The one-to-one touch is extended to the packaging, with each item individually gift-wrapped before being sent out.
Annette worked as a midwife in Westminster Hospital in London and Chatham in Kent – where more babies are born than anywhere else in the UK thanks to the presence of RAF, Navy & Army in the town – and locally in Durham and at both Newcastle’s General Hospital and the RVI as a Sister on the Special Care Baby Unit .
Annette, who left nursing when the eldest of her two children went to school, said: “Having worked with and for women for many years as a nurse and a midwife I know how a gorgeous piece of underwear can work its magic and make the wearer feel a million dollars.”
ENDS
Photo shows: “Here comes the girls” Shoppers are stunned to see Annette (centre) with her models in a busy, snowy Northumberland Street, Newcastle
