The Stars Underlines Awards are always a highlight of the UK lingerie industry’s calendar, bringing together some of the country’s leading national lingerie businesses, independent retailers and specialist boutiques to celebrate the very best in the sector.
This year’s event was no exception, with a fantastic evening recognising the retailers, teams and individuals who continue to make such an important contribution to the lingerie industry.
AIS and INDX have been proud sponsors of the awards for a number of years. Our support reflects the important relationship we have with Underlines and the wider lingerie industry, recognising the magazine’s continued support for our INDX shows and the independent retailers we represent.
It was particularly pleasing to see so many AIS Members among this year’s finalists. Arnott’s, Austin’s, Barkers of Northallerton, Browns of York, Creaseys, Daniels of Windsor, Elphick’s, Morleys, Elys, Fields of Sidmouth, Goulds of Dorchester, Harveys of Halifax, Geralds, Menarys, McElhinneys and Smith Bradbeer were all represented across a number of categories, including Department Store, Personal Touch, Excellence and Outstanding Achievement.
There were some particularly proud moments for our Members.
Congratulations to Smith Bradbeer, who took home the Department Store award. It was lovely to see Karen Nolan and Nikki Boyd there to collect the award, which was thoroughly deserved.
Another fantastic result came in the Excellence and Outstanding Achievement category, which recognises a store of any size that truly stands out within its region or speciality. Judged on criteria including distinctive décor and ambience, exceptional customer service, community involvement, entrepreneurship and the dedication shown to developing and managing teams, it is always a highly competitive category.
This year’s worthy winners were Harveys of Halifax. It was wonderful to see both Tracy Harvey and Christine Gow there to collect the award and celebrate this fantastic achievement. Huge congratulations to them and the whole team.
The evening also provided an opportunity for AIS to bring a little extra celebration to its own 50th anniversary year. We held a prize draw, giving one lucky buyer the opportunity to win £500 to spend at an INDX show. Congratulations to our winner from the Bravissimo team!
It was a fitting reminder that INDX is here to support the breadth of the UK retail sector, from independent boutiques and family-run businesses to some of the country’s largest lingerie retailers and national brands.
A huge thank you to the Underlines team for another brilliant evening and, most importantly, congratulations to all the finalists and winners. It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces and to celebrate the talent, commitment and passion that make the UK lingerie industry so special.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with Underlines and supporting the industry for many years to come.
