[4] Founder Sarah Tremellen MBE[5] began as a freelance TV and radio researcher for the BBC, quitting after eight months at the age of 25 to have a baby.

[7] Working in the living room of Tremellen's Twickenham flat, they produced a mail-order catalogue that included all the best bras they could find, and created a mailing list of around 75 people - mostly friends and family.

Tremellen then telephoned several women's magazines and newspapers, and within a month achieved coverage in the Daily Mail, bringing in 1,000 requests for a catalogue.

The products failed to meet sales expectations and were soon discontinued with much of the remaining stock given away or put in staff kitchens.

[13] The New York store, Bravissimo's only physical presence in the United States, closed at the end of October 2024 after failing to break even.

[17] The list rates a company's performance on eight key factors which takes into account things such as pay, leadership, social impact and personal growth.