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Berlei is a
The name came from that of the firm's founder, Frederick Richard Burley, who felt that his name as normally spelt was not contextually appropriate to his products.
Berlei Limited was one of the first Australian companies to expand outside Australia. Berlei (
The original factory was in Wilmot Street, Sydney with additional space being used in Liverpool Street.
In January 1922, the factory was moved to Berlei House in Regent Street.
Fred Burley's vision for the company was "To Design and Manufacture Corsets and Brassieres of such perfect Fit, Quality, and Workmanship, as will bring pleasure and profit to all concerned, while at the same time rendering such excellent service to our Clients and Consumers as will merit their permanent patronage".
Berlei's approach to marketing was professional.
A branch of the Australian company was opened in the United Kingdom in 1930, with staff of forty. The company grew to a staff of 702 in 1961.
A 'modern' factory was built in Slough in 1937, it was demolished in 1984.
Berlei (UK) was purchased from Berlei Hestia of Australia in 1982.
Berlei (UK) called in a receiver in November 1985, subsequently it was purchased by Courtaulds Textiles.
In March 2000, Courtaulds Textiles was sold to Sara Lee. Sara Lee sold Courtaulds Textiles to Hong Kong-based PD Enterprise Limited in May 2006.
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
of women's lingerie
Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...
and in particular bra
A bra, short for brassiere or brassière (, or ; ), is a form-fitting undergarment that is primarily used to support and cover breasts. It can serve a range of other practical and aesthetic purposes, including enhancing or reducing the appea ...
s and girdle
A belt, especially if a cord or rope, is called a girdle if it is worn as part of Christian liturgical vestments, or in certain historical, literary or sports contexts.
Girdles are used to close a cassock in Christian denominations, including th ...
s.
History
The company began in Sydney in 1910. The Berlei brand originated in 1917. Berlei undergarments are now sold in Australia by Hanesbrands and in theUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
by Courtaulds Textiles.
Berlei conducted a research project to quantify Australian 'figure types'.
The name came from that of the firm's founder, Frederick Richard Burley, who felt that his name as normally spelt was not contextually appropriate to his products.
Berlei Limited was one of the first Australian companies to expand outside Australia. Berlei (New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
) Limited was incorporated in 1923, and Berlei (U.K.) Limited was organised in 1930.
Founder
Frederick R. Burley (29 May 1885,Hamilton, Victoria
Hamilton is a large town in south-western Victoria, Australia, at the intersection of the Glenelg Highway and the Henty Highway. The Hamilton Highway connects it to Geelong.
Hamilton is in the federal Division of Wannon, and is in the South ...
– 26 May 1954, Wahroonga, New South Wales
Wahroonga is a suburb in the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, 18 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Ku-ring-gai Council and Hornsby Shire. N ...
) was the founder of Berlei.
Burley was a pioneer in employee relations and an accomplished public citizen, holding office in the Rotary Club and contributing to other worthy organizations. In the custom of Rotary he would introduce himself to other clubs with his name, his club, and his occupation as a "maker of jewel caskets".
In 1923, he founded the Australia Made Preference League Australia Made Preference League was the organisation behind the Great White Train that travelled through New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in Australia ...
and served as the first president of the League. The League created the Great White Train
The ''Great White Train'' was an effort in the 1920s by Sydney based industrialists to convince Australians to Buy Australian Made.
Background
The concept was put forward by the Australia Made Preference League, a consortium of New South Wales ...
as a promotional tool for early Australian industries.
He travelled widely to learn business and trade information, to make business partnerships, and to get materials for his factories.
The movie ''Undercover'' was made about the early years of the Berlei company and the life of Frederick R Burley.
History of Berlei Limited and associated companies
Berlei Limited was started in 1910, as a company called Unique Corsets in Sydney, after Fred Burley discovered that the corset business was profitable and that the wholesale segment of the business could be prosecuted on animport replacement Import replacement refers to an urban free market economic process of entrepreneurs replacing the imports of the city with production from within the city.
The idea was invented by Jane Jacobs who spun off from the idea of import substitution dev ...
basis. Burley made his first overseas business trip to the US in 1913, to research methods and investigate the use of machinery of the time. The 'frenchified' brand name of Berlei was conceptualized soon after and was registered in Australia in 1917. (While this might reasonably be accordingly pronounced after the French style as 'bur-LAY', it is commonly still pronounced as if written 'burley'.) United Corsets became Berlei Limited in 1920.
The original factory was in Wilmot Street, Sydney with additional space being used in Liverpool Street.
In January 1922, the factory was moved to Berlei House in Regent Street.
Fred Burley's vision for the company was "To Design and Manufacture Corsets and Brassieres of such perfect Fit, Quality, and Workmanship, as will bring pleasure and profit to all concerned, while at the same time rendering such excellent service to our Clients and Consumers as will merit their permanent patronage".
Berlei's approach to marketing was professional.
Berlei (NZ) Limited
Berlei (New Zealand) Limited was started in 1923, with a staff of fifty growing to 665 employees in 1961. Bendon Berlei Limited merged with Ceramco Apparel Group Limited on 8 April 1981.Berlei (UK) Limited
A branch of the Australian company was opened in the United Kingdom in 1930, with staff of forty. The company grew to a staff of 702 in 1961.
A 'modern' factory was built in Slough in 1937, it was demolished in 1984.
Berlei (UK) was purchased from Berlei Hestia of Australia in 1982.
Berlei (UK) called in a receiver in November 1985, subsequently it was purchased by Courtaulds Textiles.
In March 2000, Courtaulds Textiles was sold to Sara Lee. Sara Lee sold Courtaulds Textiles to Hong Kong-based PD Enterprise Limited in May 2006.
Footnotes
References
* * * * * * * * * * {{lingerie 1910 establishments in Australia Clothing companies established in 1910 Retail companies established in 1910 Clothing brands of Australia Lingerie brands