June Kenton

June Kenton is a British businesswoman who owned Rigby & Peller for 29 years. She received the official Royal Warrant at the time of her purchase of the company in 1982.[1] Since then she has fitted several members of the British royal family, and several well-known actresses and entertainers.

Business career

Kenton and her husband purchased Rigby & Peller in 1982 for £20,000. Although Rigby & Peller gained the Royal Warrant on the establishment of their store in 1939, Kenton had to get it personally when she bought the business in 1982.[2] In August 2011, they sold an 87 percent stake of the firm to Van de Velde for £8 million. Kenton remains on the board of the company, with her son David.[3]

After Kenton developed breast cancer, she created a line of lingerie specifically for mastectomy patients.[4] She discovered prosthetists were making prosthetics based on the size of the bra the woman believes she is wearing is correct and thus created her own line of corrected-fitted lingerie for mastectomy patients.[5]

She also rebranded Rigby & Peller, expanding to seven different locations worldwide including the US and Dubai.[6][7] She provided all the underwear and swimwear for How to Look Good Naked by Gok Wan as well as the movie Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.[8]

Kenton's clients have included H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, the Countess of Snowdon, Princess Margaret, Diana, the late Princess of Wales and Kate Middleton, among others.[9] Outside of the royal family, famous clients include: Kim Kardashian, Joan Collins, Jessie J, Lady Gaga,[10] Cherie Blair, Dawn French,[11] Scarlett Johansson, and Jo Brand among others.

Her autobiography Storm in a D Cup is due to be published by Troubador (publishers) at the end of 2017.[12]

Awards and recognition

Kenton was awarded an honorary degree from Leeds Metropolitan University "in recognition of her lifelong services to the British intimate apparel industry.[13] She also has a Lifetime Achievement Award from the UK lingerie industry.[14]

Kenton was one of the speakers at the 2012 MT Inspiring Women Conference[15] and a charity evening for Jewish Child's Day in March 2017, entitled Fit for a Queen.[16]

References
  1. Syrett, Alison. "Go Inside the World of June Kenton, H.M. Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Bra Fitter". FashionIsta. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  2. "Rigby & Peller Clothing & Accessories". Rigby & Peller. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  3. "Rigby & Peller's undercover job as it looks at growth in North". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  4. Carter, Grace. "Rigby & Peller". The Genteel. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  5. Armstrong, Rebecca. "June Kenton: Lingerie tycoon's breast cancer fight". The Independent. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  6. Clarke, Sarah. "Rigby & Peller opens flagship store in Dubai". Lingerie Insight. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  7. "5 minutes with… the legendary June Kenton of Rigby & Peller". The Mother Ship. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  8. "People: June Kenton, Rigby & Peller – Supporting the bra industry". Drapers Online. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  9. Clinton, Leah. "The Bra Expert That Fits Kate Middleton and the Queen Talks Royal Underpinnings". Glamour. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  10. Lara, Maria Mercedes. "Kim Kardashian's Lingerie Taste Is Fit for a Queen". People Style. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  11. Lipman, Jennifer. "Rigby & Peller sold to Belgian company". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  12. "Storm in a D-Cup The autobiography of the driving force behind Rigby & Peller". Troubador. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  13. "Rigby & Peller owner June Kenton awarded an Honorary Degree". Invest in Your Chest. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  14. "Storm in a D Cup". June Kenton. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  15. Anderson, Elizabeth. "Queen's bra maker says state of retail is 'horrific'". Management Today. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  16. "An Evening with June Kenton". Jewish Child's Day. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
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