About Us : Ella Bodi …Beautiful British Lingerie & Sleepwear
Our Story
Every great brand begins with an idea. Ours began with a belief.
After more than 75 years of manufacturing luxury lingerie, sleepwear and garments for many of Britain’s most respected fashion brands, Headen & Quarmby Limited was approached by Channel 4 and renowned retail expert Mary Portas to take part in an ambitious television project.
The series, Mary’s Bottom Line, explored whether British garment manufacturing could once again thrive in a world increasingly dominated by imported clothing. It was a question that resonated deeply with us because we had never stopped believing in the value of making beautiful things here in Britain and it was something worth protecting.
Broadcast in 2011, the four part documentary became the catalyst for something very special. Ella Bodi was born as the modern expression of our heritage, a brand that would celebrate everything we believe great British manufacturing should represent, such as timeless design, exceptional comfort, uncompromising quality & effortless elegance.
Our story however, began long before, founded in 1935 by Mary Headen & Eric Quarmby, our factory has spent more than nine decades refining the specialist skills of lingerie & sleepwear design and production. Those skills have been passed from generation to generation and remain at the heart of every Ella Bodi garment today.
Working alongside Mary Portas was about far more than creating beautiful lingerie. It was an opportunity to demonstrate that British craftsmanship was not a thing of the past. It was and still is, a living tradition, one that creates skilled employment, supports local communities, preserves specialist knowledge and produces garments with care rather than compromise.
While much of the British clothing industry moved overseas during the 1970s in pursuit of lower production costs, Headen & Quarmby chose a different path. We remained committed to designing and manufacturing here in the United Kingdom, believing that quality, integrity and craftsmanship should never be sacrificed for convenience.
That commitment continues today.
Every Ella Bodi garment is thoughtfully designed and meticulously handcrafted in England by our small, highly skilled team using carefully selected fabrics and materials. We produce in small batches, allowing us to focus on the details that matter most beautiful finishing, exceptional comfort and garments created to be treasured for years rather than seasons.
We are immensely proud to continue a tradition that once made Britain the envy of the world for textile innovation and garment manufacturing. More importantly, we are proud to play our part in ensuring those skills continue to flourish for future generations.
Ella Bodi is more than a collection of beautifully made garments.
It is our heritage. Our craft. Our belief that true luxury begins with exceptional people, thoughtful design and uncompromising British craftsmanship.
Beautifully British. Endlessly comfortable. Made to last.
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