In 2017, entrepreneur Brie Read experienced a wardrobe malfunction on George Street in Edinburgh that would become the catalyst for her successful business venture. Struggling with ill-fitting tights in front of a crowd of onlookers, Read identified a widespread problem in the £15 billion global hosiery market and decided to create a solution.

Using her personal savings and loans from friends and family, Read launched Snag, an online hosiery brand focused on producing tights that fit a variety of body shapes and sizes. The business quickly gained traction with its inclusive sizing range from 4 to 36 and its commitment to comfort and style. Snag’s products are manufactured by a small company in northern Italy, addressing the limitations of traditional hosiery manufacturing that typically only accounts for leg length and ignores hip width.

Snag, headquartered in Oxfordshire, now offers tights, underwear, leggings, and other clothing through six websites serving the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the EU. The company reported sales of £54 million last year, delivering a pair of tights every 10 seconds globally. Employing approximately 120 staff, most of whom work remotely, Snag has differentiated itself by focusing on reduced return rates—just 2 percent compared to the industry average of around 40 percent—a factor that attracted investment from James Caan, a former Dragons’ Den investor.

Caan praised Snag for disrupting the hosiery market and expanding its customer base through inclusive design, calling the company’s low return rate “commercially compelling” due to its impact on profitability and reduced waste. Read attributes Snag’s success to designing products that address the needs of “real bodies” rather than conforming to industry norms.

The company’s growth has not come without challenges. Snag has faced criticism for its advertising campaigns, which feature women with diverse body types instead of traditional size 8 lingerie models. Nevertheless, Read maintains that inclusivity is both ethically and commercially essential.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant threat when reduced demand for tights caused financial strain. Faced with dwindling funds, Read launched a “Save Our Snag” campaign on social media that offered customers buy-one-get-one-free promotions. The initiative quickly raised £1.25 million, demonstrating strong community support from Snag’s dedicated followers, known as “Snagglers.”

With Caan’s recent seven-figure investment and partnership, Read expects Snag to expand further and accelerate its growth. She emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and innovating accordingly, strategies that have so far enabled Snag to challenge established industry practices and build a loyal customer base worldwide.