Emily Bendell is the founder and CEO of British lingerie company Bluebella.
As a brand born out of Bendell’s desire to redefine the perception of lingerie as a traditionally sexy purchase that a person would only ever wear with the intention to please somebody else, Bluebella’s sassy, fashion-focused pieces are designed to empower spirited, confident women to feel their most fabulous!
Bluebella challenges that preconception with every new collection, inspiring women to use its designs for self-expression, self-love and fun.
The brand takes inspiration from the modern world and contemporary trends, constantly evolving, trying its hand at new categories, and partnering up with some of the most exciting names in fashion and pop culture.
With “innovation, inclusivity, and exceptional style” at the core of the brand, the only thing customers can expect from Bluebella is the unexpected.
We caught up with Emily Bendell for the latest edition of our ‘My London’ interview series.
Favourite neighbourhood:
I am of course biased but I love my neighbourhood – Clapton in Hackney. My Dad’s family are all from this area and couldn’t wait to leave in the 70s and 80s so they find it hilarious I have actively chosen to live here now. There is such a great sense of community, wonderful restaurants and bars, lots of live music, plus the wide-open expanses of Lee Valley are only a stone’s throw away.
Favourite place for brunch:
I really like Granger & Co for brunch but as I rarely leave my borough at the weekend, so I would say The Good Egg in Stokey.
Best coffee in London:
I think the coffee from the Tram Store in Clapton is hard to beat!
Favourite gallery or museum:
Has to be the V&A because hey have the best, most fascinating exhibitions, and I could spend days just wondering the permanent collections.
Tell us a secret:
I am obsessed with eBay. You can literally sell anything on there. I am taking a lot of pleasure in reducing our house throw ways to zero by listing absolutely everything on eBay, however random. I obsess over key words and feel a disproportionate sense of satisfaction when I offload something bizarre that we were about to add to landfill for £1 to a happy new owner. The beauty of living in a densely populated city is there is always someone willing to come and pick up the random thing you want to get rid of. You can portion some or all of the proceeds to charity – it’s a far better way to be sustainable and support charities than giving to a charity shop.
Favourite place to shop:
I would love to say an independent store (and there are many I would highly recommend such as Triangle on Chatsworth Road) but my absolute favourite is Selfridges. They carry so many brands I love that are hard to find elsewhere – and they stock a good selection of Bluebella lingerie, a sign of excellent taste.
Favourite place to find inspiration:
Another shout out to the V&A! There’s so much inspiration in those hallowed halls. A stroll through their jewellery exhibition has recently inspired the development of some of our product’s signature metalwork detailing.
Best London destination for a date:
I would recommend a comedy club – if you don’t laugh at the same things – don’t bother going on the next date! I used to love the late show at the Comedy Store in Leicester Square for a raucous crowd but lots of good local options like the Backyard Comedy club in Bethnal Green. For romance, a cocktail bar with dark corners like Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green or Happiness Forgets in Hoxton.
Favourite park:
I love Victoria Park, there is so much there and I love the Victorian ‘promenading’ feel of it.
Favourite food market:
Broadway Market has a good selection of stalls and is a fun place to hang out. I particularly love the old-time crooners who busk there. In the winter it feels like you’re in a Christmas rom-com.
Your sanctuary in the city:
I love Hampstead Heath – it’s one of the few places you can go in London where you can roam without seeing the edges of the city around you. I used to love swimming in the lady’s pond in the summer.
What inspires you?
The people of this city. What I most love about living here is seeing the constantly evolving wonderfully diverse street style. I love hearing people’s stories, seeing people connect to the city at gigs, in clubs, on the streets, in museums. This city is an endless source of inspiration.
This season I’m loving:
Embellishment! Not my usual style nor something that we typically do at Bluebella so I just loved the freshness of our recent collaboration with the King of sparkle Ashish. We have re stocked the sell-out crystal encrusted collection of slogan chemises and bralettes for festival season. The looks are so sexy yet subversive for the summer park festival season.
