Backless bra hit for boffin

Enterprising Staffordshire bra boffin Joanne Morgan has invented a world-beating range of ladies' lingerie, with the aid of some firm business support.

Scientist Joanne, from Tamworth, is the creator of the Faveo Freedom Bra, a new backless and strapless breast-support system for the 50 per cent of women who have a larger bra size.

This summer the bra went on sale in sizes from C to GG at more than 100 stores across the UK and Australia.

Faveo – which is Latin for "I support" – was started by Joanne in 2004 after she was unable to find a bra that would go with her glamorous halter neck, low-back dress for a black-tie ball.

Joanne, who has a PhD in cancer research, said: "I tried the dress on at home. I didn't want to take it back to the shop and so started to experiment with new ways to invent a bra.

"I wanted to test it straight away so I cut up lots of pieces of clothing to create a prototype. I worked well into the night but realised pretty quickly that even my own crude attempt was a comfortable and supportive backless, strapless bra."

Joanne, aged 33, is now poised to expand her company, Faveo Limited, with the help of venture capital support from the Advantage Early Growth Fund (AEGF), part of regional development agency Advantage West Midlands' extensive Access to Finance network. She even moved her company from Nottingham to Tamworth's Swan Park Business Centre as part of the deal.

The funding enabled Joanne to launch the Faveo Freedom Bra to the retail trade in February this year and it went on sale in May. The company, which employs five people, has also been approached by business interests in the USA and Europe and its website is generating 20,000 hits a day.

Kevin Caley, managing director of the AEGF, said: "Joanne's enthusiasm and determination to make Faveo a success caught our imagination, not just with the AEGF team but with about 30 private-sector investors who decided to support a company which has terrific high-growth potential."