Thursday, 31 December 2015

Happy New Year!

We hope you're feeling full of christmas joy, food and merriness after the lovely, wonderful festive period! Although we're still holding onto Christmas, it's time to welcome in 2016 and a brand new shiny year!

The best is yet to come free printable from www.craftychelsea.com:

We look forward to the highs and lows which will come in the new year, and hope that worldwide, less atrocities and disasters occur, moving into a safer, and happier 2016!

Free Fierce Printable Quote - Dwell Beautiful:

Our New Year's resolutions are written, goals for the year ahead are clear and we hope you all have a wonderful and safe night welcoming in 2016!



Shine shine shine! Love A&f x



Monday, 7 December 2015

Attollo Squad: Role Models

At Attollo HQ,  we're surrounded by bras, knickers and all thing's boob related! Our world and jobs are dedicated to women: making them feel confident, beautiful and empowered.

We aim to live out our company name's meaning of "I lift up, I raise, I excite" by lifting up your confidence, raising your self-esteem and exciting you by what you see in the mirror and feel like in your lingerie!

So, being a female dominated world, we are inspired continually by the amazing people who walk this planet - we are constantly amazed by the role models that we have around us and the women who have changed the world we live in.


2015 is the year of the 'Girl Squad' revolution, fronted by Taylor Swift and her informidable and ever growing Girl Squad.  This is who would be in our Attollo Girl Squad - individuals that inspire us through their work, philanthropy, ideas, contributions and the way they have shaped history in the present day and the future.



Our top 10 women - the start of our Dream Attollo Squad!


10. Mother Teresa



After a life dedicated to charity and humanitarian work, she is regarded as one of the most selfless people to have ever lived, and her efforts were recognized in 1979 when she won the Nobel Peace Prize. However, one of the most admirable things about Mother Teresa is that she wasn't doing it for the recognition – she spent nearly 30 years of her life helping others before anybody even knew who she was. She believed in doing whatever was possible to help, whether big or small, with her philosophy being; "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."



9. Ashley Graham





"I just don't like that there is a division between straight size and plus size models in the fashion world, I am trying to bridge that gap. Call me what you like, I know who I am.

Ashley Graham is standing up for women in the fashion and modelling industry, and we love her for doing just that.

'I want young girls to know: I’m here for you,' the Nebraska-native told Yahoo. 'I didn’t have anyone growing up. I had my mom and she is amazing, but I didn’t have a celebrity or a role model in the fashion industry to look up to.'  

She added: 'So, I want to say I’m here for you. I’m doing the best I can. Join me. Let’s hashtag it away. Let’s Instagram it. Let’s talk about our body issues together. Because if we’re not doing it as a community, it’s not going to change.' 
 
Speaking about shaking up the industry, Ashley shared: 'I like to think that I'm not trying to be a disruptor, I actually am disrupting the industry. It's been a long time coming, I've been modelling for the past 15 years, I've been considered a plus size model for the past 15 years. 
 
I AM STRONG. I AM BEAUTIFUL.
 
'I was told I was never going to be on the cover of any magazine, let alone in the inside, and I did five covers alone last year and I was in the pages of Sport's Illustrated as one of the first curvy models. So I didn't let anybody just take down what I had been told for so long and I think that's really important about being a disruptor in any industry.'
 
We love her for giving confidence to so many women, speaking up for them, and being a role model to us and hopefully inspiring all our Attollo Girls too! 


8. Kris Hallenga



"She's like this superwoman who is taking on the world, trying to save lives, trying to beat this cancer," says her sister, Maren.
Diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in her early 20s, Kris Hallenga is determined the disease is not seen as something that affects only older women. Through her charity, CoppaFeel!, she is fighting to raise awareness of breast cancer in young people.
"When I was diagnosed I read that my life expectancy was just two and a half years. Thanks to treatment, I'm still here five years later, but so is my cancer," says Hallenga. She is determined that other young people should be trained to spot the early warning signs of the disease and check their breasts regularly. A month after her diagnosis, Hallenga set up a charity called CoppaFeel! with her twin sister, Maren, to help raise awareness at schools and music festivals about the importance of early diagnosis.

With the help of her sister Maren, they are changing attitudes towards cancers and young people, particularly breast cancer. With it's flashmobs, Tube advertisements, festival stalls "boob teams" and "Boobettes" spreading the message of breast awareness around the country, the charity has grown from strength to strength and has gained a legion of celebrity supporters along the way. 
"Cancer has given me a life and given meaning to what I do with my life."
We love Kris' spirit and ability to put such an incredibly positive spin on things! Thank you for being such an inspiration to us!


7.  Amelia Earhart



Amelia Earhart's is a story of both success and tragedy, full of adventuring and pioneering for women's rights. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, and was rewarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross for her efforts – again, she was the first woman to receive this. While other women were being held back by a male dominated society, Amelia was soaring through the clouds, breaking records, and having the time of her life. Her message to other women was that "the woman who can create her own job is the woman who will win fame and fortune."


6.  J K Rowling


From single mother living on benefits to multi-millionaire author in the space of a few years; if ever you needed proof that you should follow your dreams, J. K. Rowling is just that. After multiple rejections from publishers she finally secured a print run of 1,000 copies for her first book, which you just might have heard of – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Fast forward a few years and the Harry Potter series has sold over 400 million copies, spawned a whole film franchise, and almost single-handedly made reading cool again for kids. If you feel inspired by this story then be sure to take her belief that "anything's possible if you've got enough nerve" to heart.


5. Emma Watson


Emma Watson has changed the conversation about feminism during her recent UN speech to launch the HeForShe campaign. Through her words, she opened the door to a new way of thinking with gender inequality, which affects both men and women within our society. She strongly encouraged men to get involved to help enact this change, as we must strive to create a community that equally values every man and woman within it.
 
Emma proved once again that she's a smart and passionate advocate for women, who isn't afraid of standing up for what she believes in — even when people try to tear her down. This is why we love her.
Emma's response on making a difference: Don't ever hear in your own head, "Who am I to say something?" You are human. You are a person. You can 100% change the world.



4. Ophrah Winfrey


Simply through being compassionate, caring and charitable, Oprah Winfrey has made an astronomically successful career for herself. She's used her success to do good for the world; her philatrophic work spreads so far and wide that she donated over $300 million to charitable causes. Oprah's wealth and fame is certainly no accident, as she believes that luck is simply "preparation meeting opportunity".


3. Audrey Hepburn

 

 

Audrey Hepburn was born to an English father and Dutch mother in Belgium May 4th 1929. During her childhood she was brought up in England before moving to Holland at the age of 10. From 1940-45 Audrey experienced the difficulties and horrors of Nazi occupation. In particular she saw many local people, including a cousin, shot for resisting the occupying forces. The occupation and lack of food during the latter part of the war left a lasting impression on the young Audrey. Her later involvement in humanitarian issues was partly inspired by her own experiences of suffering.

Towards the end of the 1960s Hepburn retired from films to devote herself to family life, emerging only for a handful of films in the 1970s and 1980s. She devoted the final years of her life to UNICEF.
One year before her death in 1993, Hepburn received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honour, in recognition of her work with UNICEF.

"Quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labor exploitation and disease, and given them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential." Hepburn
 
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." Hepburn

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." Hepburn


2. HRH Queen Elizabeth II






Queen Elizabeth II: our inexhaustible, inspirational monarch who has commited her entire life to serving this nation, the Church of England and the Commonwealth States. In 1952, HRH Queen Elizabeth II vowed,
“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
 
Since ascending to the British throne in 1952, Elizabeth has become the longest serving British monarch. She has witnessed rapid social and economic change and has been a unifying influence for Britain and the Commonwealth.

The Queen is Head of State of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms. The elder daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, she was born in 1926 and became Queen at the age of 25, and has reigned through more than five decades of enormous social change and development. The Queen is married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and has four children and eight grandchildren.

Firstly, Queen Elizabeth II has never been a lazy or neglectful sovereign. “In this special year . . . I dedicate myself anew to your service,” she says in her official Diamond Jubilee message from Buckingham Palace. It is a familiar refrain.
At 85, she continues to work tirelessly to stay in front of her people—she undertook 370 engagements last year. When aides or family members have attempted to limit her prodigious schedule, her well-known quip in reply is: “I must be seen to be believed.” She understands that what authority she commands lies in her visibility. An obvious love for mingling with the public is a great aid in this regard.

She is a warrior, a women who has inspired generation after generation, and has been the lifeblood of this nation and beyond. She is a hero to us, we admire her, are inspired by her, and are eternally grateful to her.


1. You, our reader

Thank you for following us, believing in us, and caring about us! We admire everyone we meet, are constantly inspired by the tenacity of everyone we speak to and therefore are inspired by each and everyone of you - you make us want to make Attollo the best brand! So we want to you thank and salute you! 


This is a formidable Girl Squad - all phenomenal, intelligent, inspirational women that are role models to all of us - thank you for being you!

Tuesday, 24 November 2015

A Masterclass in British Business: Telegraph's Festival of Business

Last year, we were very privileged to be invited to The Telegraph Festival of Business and this year, we were even more privileged to be invited back!



Not only was the list of British business leaders and speakers positively mind boggling, but to have so many in one room for us to listen to, learn from and be inspired by was just incredible!



Kick off was 8am at London's The Brewery!



Photo: The Brewery

The day's keynote speakers were a phenomenal line up of inspirational leaders:
Caroyln McCall, CEO EasyJet
Jayne-Anne Gadhia, Chief Executive Virgin Money
Mark Price, MD Waitrose


  

The panellists were equally incredible individuals:

John Longworth, British Chambers of Commerce
Tony Pidgley, Chairman, Berkeley Group Holdings
John Timpson, Founder, Timpson
Chrissie Rucker, Founder, The White Company
Nick Wheeler, Founder, Charles Tyrwhitt





We got to listen to small panel sessions with the amazing:
Simon Belsham, CEO, notonthehighstreet
Simon Duffy, Founder, Bulldog Skincare
James McClure, UK & Ireland General Manager, Airbnb
Richard Joseph, Founder, Joseph Joseph




and many more...!
One of our stand out favourite's of the day was a conversation between power couple, Charles Trywhitt founder Nick Wheeler and his wife, Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company. Suitably discussing the 'Blueprint for a Successful Family Business' and my word do they do just that! We admire both hugely and are inspired by their ability to juggle it all!


Having a talk from Mark Price, about how Waitrose 'Put Happiness First' for its employees, customers, and people in their supply chain was inspiring and uplifting! He ended the day's conference with a quote from John Lewis founder, John Spedan Lewis: "The Partnership was created wholly and solely to make the world a bit happier and a bit more decent". 



All in all a terrific day's conference; we got to network with ridiculously talented business men and women, learn from them and listen to their advice for Attollo!


Thank you very much to The Telegraph for what was a wonderful event, we look forward to returning next year.

Friday, 6 November 2015

We will remember them!

Last week was the official London Poppy Day; it was glorious to see every Londoner walking down the street wearing a Poppy. The tube have been dotting around signs with a very moving message: 


"In memory of the falen and future of the living."

This made us reflect on the coming Remembrance Day.


No words can cover what sacrifices were made on our behalf by generations of men, and now women, in service, on our behalf and for our freedom. The sacrifices are immeasurable and imaginable. 


We don't have the ability to write about just how thankful we are, and how moved we are by the coming 11th November. 


John McCrae's words beat anything that we could say....

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


 May 1915



We will remember! Lest us forget. 

Friday, 23 October 2015

Attollo Girl Style: Charity Shop Gems

Attollo is a brand that is about women, feeling and looking confident and beautiful. Lingerie is the root of all outfits, and is with us pretty much every waking minute of the day keeping our lovely twins in place, looking marvellous- well that's the idea! 


Branding ourselves as a lifestyle brand, we wanted to start the Attollo Girl Style series on the blog! 



Style doesn't have to mean big bucks, we both know, we've had to find some money saving tips to keep feeling stylish..... 


 

......or semi-stylish at least! 



Being curvy girls, we find it a challenge finding anything in the shops that firstly, fits us, secondly flatters us, and thirdly, that we can afford! It's often hard to find smart clothes for meetings too! 



Dressing for our big boobs is a challenge most of you will be able to relate to, and if not, if you have amazing long legs, too amazing for the high street to design for, or you're so beautifully petite for the mass market that nothing fits properly, or perhaps you're a rugby player with quads and calves too big for any retailers jeans, you'll get why we're a little fed up with dressing for our shapes and battling the high street designs.



We're changing tactic now and see it as a challenge accepted - we WILL find great style for our curves, and start creating an Attollo Girl Style! Our first hack - find the best charity shops, and get some style on a shoestring...! Here are some of the pieces we love from some of our favourite Charity shops:






1. Fleurette's Vintage Louis Vuitton



2. Alice's leather Boden



3. Fleurette's High-Waist Jeans



4. Alice's silk scarf



5. Fleurette's Pencil Skirt
6. Alice's Gucci's




7. Fleurette's LK Bennett Heels



8. Alice's Smythson travel wallet




9. Fleurette's Wolford Body


10. Alice's designer nude courts




We pop into our local charity shops at least once a week excited by what we'll find next! 


Love A&F x