About Us

Michelle Ellis is a wife, mother to 3 children and a sufferer of Lipoedema. Lipoedema is a genetic condition that is thought to affect 10% of the female population in the UK! Signs of Lipoedema are – failure to lose weight through dieting, disproportionately large bottom half of body, painful legs and swelling in the legs. Some sufferers of Lipoedema (also known as painful fat syndrome) are also affected by enlarged or swollen arms.

In 2011 Michelle founded the support group Lipoedema Ladies (www.lipoedemaladies.com), a place where sufferers could come together, provide support and share experiences and treatments. Michelle also has a keen interest in fashion and set about finding a solution to a big problem that effects many women, not just those sharing her condition – lots of clothes are sleeveless but not everyone is comfortable exposing their arms. This often leads to the wearing of jackets, cardigans or shrugs; even in conditions where it is too warm to be comfortable in doing so!

Michelle had a moment of inspiration and came up with the product Wingz – a sleeved undergarment that is designed with a scooped front & back so that it can be worn with any neckline.

Wingz fit comfortably under the bust and follow the bra line around the back, the body of the Wingz are elasticated, soft and do not move around, this ensures ease of wear. As Wingz do not add another layer to the outfit the wearer can be assured of remaining cool and calm – giving you style, comfort and confidence. Because Wingz can be worn without a bra they are also usable for mothers who are breastfeeding their children.

Michelle registered the Wingz design, applied for a patent and then started selling Wingz on Ebay. She then appeared on Dragons Den where she did not receive investment but gained good feedback, exposure and a wealth of advice on how to expand and progress her business idea to the next level. Word of mouth recommendation has led to the massive growth in popularity of the Wingz and with a little marketing activity they have become highly sought after with a 100% rating on Ebay. Wingz come in a wide range of varieties, from Day Wingz that offer a practical solution for day to day situations to Bridal Wingz which allow arm coverage without covering any part of the wedding dress on the Bride’s big day! They now ship worldwide with 40% of Michelle’s sales going to the export market (countries such as Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore and The Netherlands to name but a few).