In 1998, Sara Blakely was getting ready for a party when she realised that the shape of her underwear would be seen under her clothes, and so she cut the feet off some pantyhose to wear under her trousers and hide her underwear. That's what gave her the idea to create seamless underwear that would solve similar wardrobe woes.

Her brand Spanx is now sold worldwide and Blakely is still at its helm.

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