Press Releases

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (June 16,2006) - You've seen them walking down the sidewalk, shirts filled with what looks like rumpled lettuce. You try to divert your eyes, but it looks like a small garden has taken root. And what about those tacky 'whale tails' caused when the top of a woman’s thong is exposed by low-rise jeans?

This fall, Barely There^® intimates, the industry leader in invisible comfort, introduces new styles that fix these fashion faux pas, eliminating embarrassing funny shapes above and tell-tale panty protuberances down below. Remember, your bra is either there or Barely There.

Melt Away
The new Invisible Look® Bra Collection creates a smooth, invisible, line-free look under clothes. And the invisibility is not only in how it looks, but how it feels. Its soft, suede fabric virtually melts into the skin.

Absolutely no stitching on the outside wings creates clean, continuous sides and the bra collection's cushioned wire channel is completely hidden. Flat and flexible straps provide a comfortable fit that moves with her, and the tag free hook and eye ensure even greater comfort.

To provide her with even more versatility, the collection’s underwire and wirefree bras have Quick Change™ straps for easy conversion to criss-cross.

The Barely There Invisible Look Bra Collection offers four bras that together meet every wardrobe need: Invisible Look Underwire, Invisible Look Wire-Free, Invisible Look Front Close, and coming in October, Invisible Look Strapless.

No ruffles. No seams. No funny lettuce lines under your clothes. Remember, your bra is either there or Barely There!

The Perfect Pair
Finding the perfect panty to pair with the many moods of the female wardrobe can be a real ordeal. But this fall, Barely There answers the challenge with the introduction of three new daywear collections.

Invisible comfort takes shape in three signature styles:

Jeanious by Barely There™ - A stroke of sheer "jeanious" from Barely There's design team, the panty is the perfect partner for jeans. Its sleek, shiny fabric ensures denim slides on easily, while the "V" waist lays flat against the skin and helps the panty stay hidden with low-rise fashions. The panty comes in three great silhouettes: hipster, thong and bikini.

Luxurious by Barely There™ - This panty offers the ultimate in everyday luxury with incredible softness and seamless fabrication that looks smooth under clothes. It comes in a variety of silhouettes she can wear everyday: bikini, hi-cut and brief.

Flirtatious by Barely There™ - Unlike the typical cotton panty that does little to flatter her body, this flirty stretch-cotton panty - soon to become her everyday favorite - compliments her shape. It also offers a beautiful "V" waist, perfect for today's low-rise fashions. The panty comes in three silhouettes: bikini, thong and hipster.

All three styles are tag free for the ultimate comfort against her skin and come in a host of fun and flirty fashion colors.

About Barely There^® Intimates
The Barely There^® brand is the intimate apparel line with products designed for invisible comfort. All Barely There^® intimate apparel is sold in department stores nationwide. The Barely There^® brand is a part of ©Hanesbrands Inc. Hanesbrands Inc is headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C.

For additional information about Barely There bras, shapewear and daywear, visit the Barely There^® Web site at www.barelythere.com.

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (June 29,2006) - Madonna has given her stamp of approval to Barely There^® Intimates. Not only does the Material Girl express herself in Barely There slimming capris off-stage while doing yoga, she confesses to having Arianne Phillips, her head costume designer, collaborate with Barely There Intimates to create a catsuit especially for her for the "Confessions" world tour.

"We were fortunate enough to be able to collaborate with (the) Barely There (team) and have them manufacture the fabric we used for one of Madonna's costumes for her 2006 summer tour, the "Abba-esque" one shoulder catsuit," said Phillips. "Madonna herself suggested we (make) contact Barely There (intimates) since she is a fan of their brand and fabric specifically. Barely There (intimates) makes a very unique stretch fabric that not only is supportive, it moulds to the body in a very flattering way, and it is soft to the touch. Madonna has a long history of collaboration with designers; this is a unique situation where we had the opportunity to collaborate with an American brand in a very special way. I am thrilled that we were able to work with Barely There (intimates). They certainly added to the exciting outcome of Madonna's costumes for her 2006 summer tour."

Madonna worked hard to get in shape for the latest tour by doing yoga in her favourite pair of Barely There Comfort Shapers^® Capri in black. The sleek, soft and seamless fabric shines on her and her dancers, ensuring they will look flawless onstage. The slimming Barely There Comfort Shapers Capri that inspired Madonna is available to consumers at department stores nationwide.

Madonna and her dancers wear the Barely There style-inspired catsuits during their performances of Erotica, La Isla Bonita, and Lucky Star on the "Confessions" tour, which opened May 21 in Los Angeles and is scheduled to run through September 3, with stops in cities including Chicago, Montreal, New York, Boston, London, Rome and Paris.

"We are enormous Madonna admirers, not only for her dedication to her craft but for her sense of style," said Howard Upchurch, President of Sara Lee Intimates and Hosiery. "Madonna is a trendsetter in everything she does, so when we were approached to help create the costumes for the "Confessions" tour, we saw it as an opportunity to support our mission to inspire consumers and their own personal style."

Arianne is an Oscar nominated costume designer and one of the most unique stylists in the industry working between the fashion and film worlds. Known for her work with Madonna, with whom she has been collaborating with since 1997, Arianne started her career in New York City styling famous celebrities, and is credited for kick-starting the trend for vintage clothing. She has worked feature films including Walk the Line, Identity, Swept Away, One Hour Photo and Girl, Interrupted, among others.

About Barely There^® Intimates
The Barely There^® brand is the intimate apparel line with products designed for invisible comfort. All Barely There^® intimate apparel is sold in department stores nationwide. The Barely There^® brand is a part of Sara Lee Branded Apparel, a company of Sara Lee Corporation. Sara Lee Branded Apparel is headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C.

For additional information about Barely There bras, shapewear and daywear, visit the Barely There^® Web site at www.barelythere.com.

Winston-Salem, NC (August 2006) - The facts are startling. In a recent survey conducted by the Barely There® brand, nearly 75% of women respondents claimed that wearing a bad bra can result in a bad mood. It's called Bad Bra Syndrome (BBS) and it's currently affecting three out of four American women. This August, Barely There® Intimates, the brand known for seamless innovation and unbeatable smoothness and comfort, will help remedy the problem --- introducing the new Invisible Look® Bra Collection.

"Starting with the right intimate apparel, and specifically a great fitting bra, is one of my number one fashion tips for women," says Stacy London, style expert and co-host of TLC's 'What Not to Wear'. "With the new Invisible Look Bra, women can wear anything from a tight fitting white tank top to a strapless, black party dress, and feel completely confident that how incredible they look in their clothes is the only thing people will notice!"

According to respondents, some of the most common and embarrassing symptoms of BBS that women experience include visible bra lines and bumps (69%), bras that show through clothes (59%) and even bras that make breasts look pointy (43%). Clearly, these are serious concerns when the majority of American women (55%) agree that the most important factor when buying a new bra is that it helps make them look good in their clothes.


With this information in mind, the new Invisible Look Bra Collection features the following benefits:

• Thin, flexible cups and a smooth, hidden underwire frame helps mold bra to the body
• Soft, sueded fabric that melts into the skin
• Continuous clean sides with no stitching on the outside
• Cushioned wire channel is completely hidden
• Flat and flexible straps provide a comfortable fit that moves with the body
• Tagfree hook and eye eliminates any discomfort, as well as unsightly tags
• An overall comfortable fit that creates a smooth, virtually invisible, line-free look under clothes

"With the Invisible Look Collection, we're drawing on our Barely There® Intimates heritage to provide women with a comfortable and stylish new bra choice," says Angela Hawkins, Director of Barely There Marketing. "The emphasis is on women looking and feeling their very best in their clothes."

For the 85% of women who say they've purchased a great new shirt or party dress only to realize that they don't have the appropriate bra to wear underneath, the Invisible Look Bra Collection is available in four styles that together meet every wardrobe need; look for the Invisible Look Underwire, Invisible Look Wire-Free, Invisible Look Front Close T-Back and Invisible Look Strapless.

Can BBS be stopped?

• The bad news is that BBS may be spreading – in fact, 60% of women notice bra problems on other women at least once a week
• The good news is that more than any other common wardrobe issue (including uncomfortable shoes, pants that stretch out too much and sweaters that fuzz), women would most like to make bras that shows lumps, bumps, seams and straps forever invisible

So, help to wipe out Bad Bra Syndrome and start spreading the news! The new Invisible Look Bra Collection launches in August 2006 in top department and chain stores nationwide. For a suggested retail price of $29.00, you can help beat BBS and look forward to a future of looking fabulous in any outfit. For more information, log on to www.barelythere.com.

About Barely There^® Intimates
The Barely There^® brand is the intimate apparel line with products designed for invisible comfort. All Barely There^® intimate apparel is sold in department stores nationwide. The Barely There^® brand is a part of ©Hanesbrands Inc. Hanesbrands Inc is headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Methodical Notes
This survey was conducted by Kelton Research between June 26th and July 6th, 2006 using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. female population age 18 to 50. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.9 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

Winston-Salem, NC (September 25, 2006) – Thanks to the hit series, “Desperate Housewives,” and the five fashion forward ladies from ‘Wysteria Lane,’ women nationwide can forget about the age old expression: dress your age. According to Cate Adair, Costume Designer for the show, the expression should really be: dress in what makes you look great. The good news – it’s never been this easy.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are; it’s all about knowing how to accentuate your best assets,” says the twice Emmy-nominated costume designer. “Everything you wear, whether it’s a bra that provides perfect support and style, like the new Invisible Look from Barely There, or an attention-getting accessory, should be chosen for the way it works with your body. After all, you should wear your clothes; your clothes should not wear you.”

As she heads into her third season of styling the fashionably-diverse character’s of Susan, Bree, Lynette, Gabrielle and Edie, Cate Adair has helped revolutionize how woman of all ages approach and embrace fashion. Here, she shares a few of her secrets – straight from the set – for looking great at any age without compromising on style:

Build a Foundation – Women tend to forget the importance of what’s underneath. Try the new Invisible Look® Bra Collection from Barely There® Intimates. With virtually no bra lines, it’s unbeatably smooth and comfortable and most importantly, women feel great in it because it showcases that fabulous tee, blouse or dress they’ve chosen to wear.

• Straight from the Set: “Take a look at Susan’s style – she’s more casual and quite often wears a fitted tee. The reason she pulls it off so well is because she always wears a great fitting bra that doesn’t detract from her outfit in any way.”

Skirting The Issue – Whether long, short, pencil or flowing, skirts of all styles remain a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. The key is to understand where on the waist to wear them – after all, style is not about what, but how.

• Straight from the Set: “For style like Bree’s character, I balance out her height with a skirt placed lower on the waist. If you aren’t quite as tall as Bree, try one that sits slightly higher on the hips to help create a long and lean look.”

Belt It Out – An undeniably hot trend right now are belts. Whether they’re wide, skinny, studded or chained, they are versatile enough to pair with jeans or couture, depending on the look. The trick is to pick one that accentuates your shape.

• Straight from the Set: “I normally stay away from oversized belts on Gabrielle because she is so petite. Her small frame is much better suited for a skinny belt that’s proportional to her size. Edie, on the other hand, can pull off a wider belt, which will help accentuate her curves and won’t appear to dominate her taller frame.”

Accessible Accessories – Lots of young Hollywood is loaded down with accessories from head to toe, so don’t be intimidated. There’s something for everyone; just stick to what’s proportional to your size and silhouette.

• Straight from the Set: “How I might accessorize Lynette’s character is never what I would consider for Edie or Gabrielle’s style and that’s because their varying shapes should be reflected with completely different accessories.”

So this season, whether you’re celebrating 20, 40 or 60, step out onto your own ‘Wysteria Lane.’ Go ahead and make a trend your own with these simple style secrets in mind. According to Adair, that’s what fashion is all about!

About Barely There® Intimates
Barely There® bras, shapewear and panties are sold at department stores nationwide.  Barely There Intimates is part of Hanesbrands Inc.  Hanesbrands Inc. is a leading marketer of innerwear, outerwear and hosiery apparel under strong consumer brands, including Hanes, Champion, Playtex, Bali, Just My Size, barely there and Wonderbra.  The company designs, manufactures, sources and sells T-shirts, bras, panties, men’s underwear, children’s underwear, socks, hosiery, casual wear and active wear.  Hanesbrands has approximately 50,000 employees in 24 countries.  More information about Hanesbrands Inc. may be found on the internet at http://www.hanesbrands.com.  For additional information about Barely There Intimates, log on to www.barelythere.com.