Who are Lounge Underwear founders Daniel and Melanie Marsden?
POWER couple Daniel and Melanie Marsden are the brains behind the brand Lounge Underwear.
The company has gone from strength-to-strength since it was first founded. Here’s what we know about the founders.
Who is Lounge Underwear co-founder Daniel Marsden?
Daniel Marsden is one half of Lounge Underwear, having co-founded it with his teenage sweetheart, Melanie.
A born entrepreneur, Daniel had started several fashion businesses before Lounge Underwear.
From 2011, he was managing director of the fishing company SWIM TACKLE Ltd, until it was dissolved in 2015.
In 2015, the couple founded Fashion Eyes and he remained there as its chief until 2016.
The businessman had attended Redhill Secondary School in Stourbridge, West Midlands, from 2004 to 2008.
Following this, he enrolled at Haybridge Sixth Form from 2009 to 2011.
Little is known about whether he pursued further education.
However, by the time he turned 30, he was already raking in millions of pounds.
The Sunday Times named them one of the top 10 richest Brits under 40s in 2024.
The married duo also made the Drapers 30 Under 30 2021 list.
Daniel, who is now 32 years old, has been with Melanie since he was 16 years old, and the pair share two children.
Who is Lounge Underwear co-founder Melanie Marsden?
Melanie and Daniel decided to launch their own business after she graduated from Cardiff University with a degree in journalism, media and cultural studies in 2014.
The media-savvy founder was keen to use her commercial and creative skills to build a brand from scratch that combines comfort and style.
The 31-year-old, originally from Birmingham, admits they did things back-to-front, cooking up a marketing strategy before they set to work on their product.
It’s certainly a long way from Melanie’s original dream of going into dance and musical theatre.
“We were together all through uni,” she explained.
“It was that last year in 2014 when we talked about me taking a pocket of my student loan and him taking a pocket from the previous businesses he’d been running.
“We wondered could we put that together and see if we could build something when I graduated.”
In those early days Melanie worked full time at Global Radio back in Birmingham – partly because there was an expectation to get a “proper job” after a degree.
She added: “There was no chance I was just going to run off and be an entrepreneur”.
But as Lounge started to flourish, bolstered by promising sales projections, Melanie decided to take the leap and join Daniel full-time.
What does Lounge Underwear sell and when did the company start?
The couple set up the Lounge – which boasts famous fans including Jesy Nelson – with an investment of just £1,000 to make their first 100 bras, all from Melanie’s parent’s spare room.
She told Wales Online: “For us it was a conversation around what is going to be cheap, small to store, something that will slip through a letterbox when you post it, lightweight so not expensive to ship, easily brandable – we had those criteria and underwear ticked those boxes for us.”
To make their first bras, Melanie and Daniel cut out pattern pieces and sent them off to be stitched together in Bulgaria, before delivering the finished products to their team of influencers.
It was a clever strategy, and one that worked exceptionally well.
Since its inception in 2016, the underwear company has amassed millions of followers.
During the 2021 Black Friday event, for example, they took 25 orders every second.
Lounge Underwear is now worth an estimated £150million which has enabled Mel and Daniel to enjoy luxurious holidays and the wedding of their dreams.
It’s a world away from their life a decade ago, when they bought dresses from factories in China to resell on eBay through their company Fashion Eyes.
These days the couple have a 100-strong workforce who operate out of a swanky office in Solihull – having moved warehouse every year for the past five.
Fashion tips to make you look rich
Fashion Tips to Elevate Your Look
- Invest in Classic Pieces
–Quality Over Quantity: Prioritise well-made, timeless items like a tailored blazer, a little black dress, or a crisp white shirt.
Neutral Colors: Opt for neutral shades such as black, white, beige, and navy, which are versatile and exude sophistication.
- Accessorize Wisely
Statement Pieces: Invest in a few high-quality accessories like a designer handbag, a classic watch, or elegant jewelry.
Minimalist Approach: Less is more. Choose one or two standout accessories to avoid looking cluttered.
- Tailoring is Key
Perfect Fit: Tailored clothing can make even affordable items look high-end. Ensure your clothes fit perfectly by having them altered if necessary.
- Maintain Your Wardrobe
Iron and Steam: Wrinkled clothes can ruin an outfit. Keep your garments wrinkle-free with regular ironing or steaming.
Proper Care: Follow care instructions to keep your clothes looking new. Dry clean when necessary and store items properly.
- Footwear Matters
Quality Shoes: Invest in a few pairs of high-quality shoes. Classic pumps, loafers, and sleek boots can elevate any outfit.
Conditioning: Keep your shoes in good condition by cleaning and polishing them regularly.
- Monochrome Outfits
Single Color Palette: Dressing in one color or varying shades of a single color can make you look polished and put-together.
- Attention to Detail
Grooming: Well-groomed hair, nails, and skin are crucial. A polished appearance starts with personal care.
Subtle Makeup: Opt for a natural makeup look that enhances your features without overpowering them.
- Layering
Sophisticated Layers: Layering can add depth and interest to your outfit. Think blazers over blouses, or sweaters over shirts.
- Confidence is Key
Own Your Look: Confidence can make any outfit look more expensive. Stand tall and wear your clothes with pride.
By incorporating these tips into your fashion routine, you can effortlessly achieve a luxurious and sophisticated look without breaking the bank.
Melanie says she still can’t believe how successful they’ve been.
“We’ve really grafted and we’ve put in a lot of time into building the business.
“We’ve worked to create the beast that we have and when you read a story about yourself it’s like: ‘Pinch me – how has this happened?'”
She also told The Times: “We probably don’t appreciate the scale of what we’ve done — it all happened so quickly. Our lifestyle has changed in that we live in the house we do, but apart from that we are just two normal people.
“We’re still mates with all the people from sixth form and we just love being at home, relaxing and chilling, drinking about ten cups of tea a day.”
They have no plans to slow down or step away either. While they might be worth millions, Dan insists there are no plans to part ways with their company any time soon.
He explained: “Do I want to slow down? No. We want to be the biggest underwear brand in the world.
“There are no plans to sell Lounge in any way. The vision is to keep scaling and I want to create a group of companies.”