12 Alan White

N Brown, famous for its 56L size bras, has widened its reach in the lingerie market with the acquisition of specialist etailer Figleaves this year. Bought for £11.5m, White has vowed to make the brand profitable using its know how and access to its wide reaching database. The acquisition also opens N Brown up to a younger market, in the same way its acquisition of High & Mighty in 2009 opened it up to high street stores, something the multichannel specialist had previously avoided.

Under White, the focus of plus size fashion, has served the company well during the recession and despite a dip in sales ahead of the election, N Brown has a strong and distinctive offer.

It now has a US website and catalogue for its Simply Be brand. N Brown’s first international move to Germany earned it £2.4m of sales in its first 12 months and there’s a lot to go for in the US plus-size fashion market, which is worth about £21.8bn.