Attollo: How an imperfect fit made the perfect pitch

Holly Branson smiling at the camera, next to a mannequin wearing a black bra and in front of a wall with flowers climbing up it
Image by ?
Holly Branson
Holly Branson's writing
Published on 11 February 2019

Not long before I gave birth to Lola, I sat down with Fleur and Alice from the all empowering lingerie label, Attollo. Their business story is really inspiring and I’m in awe of Fleur and Alice’s dedication to supporting and empowering women through their products. I knew that Fleur and Alice’s story would be a fantastic feature for my interview series, ‘Entrepreneurs in 2019: Born or made?’ and I hope it fills you with the same entrepreneurial spirit that it did for me. Throughout our conversation, the pair shared some fantastic tips on networking, finding investors and pitching too. 

Attollo was born out of a desire to empower women and instil body confidence. However, as two geography students at university, Fleur and Alice had no idea how to start a business. 

They decided to get support from Virgin StartUp and received a loan that really got things moving. However, when it came to further investment opportunities, Fleur and Alice were faced with a problem. How could they get a male investor to truly understand the pain of a poorly fitted bra in order to recognise the value of their product? 

The below clip is perhaps my favourite take away from the interview. During one investment pitch, Fleur and Alice brought in a pair of shoes two sizes too small and asked the investor to wear them.

This simple but creative approach proved incredibly effective at communicating the pain point and the problem. By the end of the day, they had their first investment offer.

It was so nice to chat with two entrepreneurs who are driven by purpose and use business to lift other women up. As Fleur said at one point: “Seeing that transition and that transformation for how a woman is looking at her body and how they feel – it’s amazing.”

On a white background a book is open to pages that read 'dream big', next to a black bra
Image by ?

Attollo is a true testament to my belief that you really can find meaning, make a living and change the world - one bra at a time.

While you’re feeling inspired, I want to know… What’s the most creative way you’ve ever conducted a pitch?