Celeb pyjama brand sizes up London float

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, August 30, 2026

London-based pyjama and underwear brand Stripe and Stare, backed by celebrity endorsement from Dua Lipa, is exploring a public listing on a London stock market to join a rare group of female-founded companies to go public in the UK. The decision follows support from a new academy program by Aquis and Barclays Bank, which aims to revive domestic listings amid a decline in UK IPOs and shifting investor interest toward AI ventures.

A London-based pyjama and underwear company popular among celebrities, including pop star Dua Lipa, is considering a public listing on one of the city’s stock markets. Nicola Piercy, co-founder of Stripe and Stare, indicated plans to pursue a flotation in London, aiming to join a small group of just 21 female founders who have taken businesses public in the UK over the past 15 years.

Piercy credited a new initiative launched by the Aquis stock exchange and Barclays Bank for helping shape her decision. The academy program seeks to encourage UK companies to list domestically amid concerns over the City of London’s declining global competitiveness. Aquis, established in 2012, operates a junior stock market designed to rival the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), which caters to smaller companies.

The UK’s public markets have faced challenges, with a notable reduction in initial public offerings and some firms relocating their listings to Amsterdam or New York. Piercy acknowledged that going public had previously seemed unattainable for her company, describing stock markets as “way too inaccessible” and primarily suitable for much larger firms. She said the academy provided a helpful “crash course” in public markets, though she emphasized that any listing would require “access to the right capital, at the right time, at the right price.”

Stripe and Stare, which earned £12 million in revenue last year, has benefited from what Piercy described as the “lipstick effect,” with consumers continuing to purchase products that make them feel good despite the ongoing cost of living crisis. The brand received heightened attention after Dua Lipa was photographed wearing its pyjamas during a hen party on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, boosting publicity.

Piercy also highlighted a decline in interest from venture capital and private equity investors, who are increasingly channeling funds into artificial intelligence ventures. She suggested this shift makes a public flotation a particularly appealing option for her company’s growth and capital needs.

David Stevens, chief executive of Aquis, said the academy’s inaugural cohort demonstrated that the UK has a strong pipeline of ambitious, high-quality growth businesses. He emphasized the importance of helping founders recognize public markets as a viable pathway to scale and providing them with the resources to navigate those options effectively.

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