What Katie Did

Specialties

Vintage inspired lingerie, corsets, shapewear and seamed nylons.

Founded in 1999 in London by Katie Thomas with just $ 150, What Katie Did is now the world’s leading brand of vintage inspired lingerie. Their 1950s style bullet bras have been worn by celebrities including Madonna, Rihanna and Marilyn Monroe — yes really, they dressed Michelle Williams who played Marilyn in the movie My Week With Marilyn.

Their lingerie comes in cup sizes A-​FF, dress sizes 4 to 14. What Katie Did are also well known for their steel boned corsets which are designed to reduce your waist by 4 – 5 inches. If a steel boned corset is just a little too much for every day they also have a glamorous range of shapewear inspired by the golden age of Hollywood: a million miles away from certain modern beige monstrocities!

What Katie Did also stock a select range of 1950s dresses by Bernie Dexter Clothing.

History

Established in 1999.

Katie Thomas founded What Katie Did in 1999. Originally the brand just sold stockings from a booth in London’s Camden market. London in the Winter is extremely cold, and Katie’s dream of looking glamorous in kitten heels and fishnets soon became that: just a dream. Fed up with thermal underwear Katie decided to take the business online.

Stockings led to suspender belts led to a 1950s style circle stitch bullet bra and deep retro style knickers. The lingerie was followed by steel boned corsets (Katie started her career in corsets in 1995 at Skin Two Retail). In 2004 Katie received a telephone call from Topshop requesting to see her collection. Katie went through her vintage collection and sketched a few designs and in September 2004 launched her wholesale collection in Topshop, London

What Katie Did lingerie can now be found in over 100 stores worldwide, and their two flagship stores in London UK and Hollywood USA.

Meet the Business Owner

Katie T.

Business Owner

Katie became interested in vintage fashion, in particular the 1950s, in her mid teens. Her first job was at Skin Two Retail, a fetish clothing store in London. In the mid 1990s corsets could only be found in fetish stores, and she was soon introduced into a world of fully fashioned seamed stockings, longline bras and girdles. Katie would get up early on Friday and Saturday mornings to search for vintage lingerie in London’s Portobello Market, a few minutes walk from Skin Two.

In 1999 Katie decided to set up alone, and invested $ 150 in nylons, which she sold at a booth in London’s Camden Market. Katie’s aim for What Katie Did was just to provide a living for herself. Of course things never turn out exactly as planned and the brand seemed to have other ideas.

Katie now divides her time between London and Los Angeles. When not at work she lives in a sleepy Berkshire village in England with her husband and daughter.