Leonisa
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Apparel and Fashion |
| Founded | November 20, 1956 |
| Founder | Joaquin Eduardo Urrea and Julio Ernesto Urrea |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | women's inner-wear, swimwear, men's underwear, shapewear, bras, panties, sports underwear, post-surgical compression garments |
| Website | leonisa |
Leonisa
[edit]Leonisa is a private Colombian clothing manufacturer specializing in lingerie, shapewear, swimwear, and underwear for men and women. Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Medellín, the company operates internationally, with distribution across Latin America, North America, and Europe.[1] The company maintains production facilities primarily in Latin America.
History
[edit]Leonisa was founded in Medellín, Colombia, in November 1956 by brothers Joaquín Eduardo Urrea and Julio Ernesto Urrea.[2] The company initially focused on women's undergarments and established its first manufacturing facility that same year. In 1965, Leonisa expanded regionally by opening a plant in Costa Rica to supply Central American markets.[3]
By the late 1980s, the company began its European expansion, starting with Spain, and subsequently entered markets in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy.[4] In 1993, Leonisa introduced the "Magic Up" bra, aimed at enhancing bust appearance.[5]
In February 2020, Leonisa entered a retail partnership with Victoria’s Secret to make its shapewear products available via the latter’s online platform in the United States.[6]
Products
[edit]Women’s intimate apparel
[edit]Leonisa has product lines for shapewear, bras and panties, including collections that meet specific needs, like postpartum and post-surgical shapewear and sports underwear.
In 2009, Leonisa introduced a brand that targets girls and women between the ages of 14 and 25.[7]
Leonisa features four different compression levels, each employing Leonisa's trademark compression technology.[8] In 2012, the company launched a new line of smart fabric shapewear and post-surgical compression garments.
Swimwear
[edit]Launched in the 1990s, the swimwear line includes basic swimwear, one-piece swimsuits, control and slimming swimwear, push-up swimsuit tops, cover-ups, and other products.[9]
LEO (Men's Line)
[edit]Leonisa launched its first men’s underwear line under the name Airell in 1975. The brand was renamed LEO in the 1980s. LEO now includes men’s underwear and shapewear, with varying levels of compression for athletic or aesthetic purposes.[10]
Activewear
[edit]Leonisa produces activewear for both women and men under its ActiveLife and Leo ActiveLife lines.[11][12] Products include leggings, sports bras, and performance underwear,[13][14] often using shaping fabrics such as DuraFit and PowerSlim.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "Leonisa. Los visionarios". Dinero. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
dinerowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Ramírez, Carlos Enrique (31 March 2006). "Internacionalización de Leonisa: Una empresa colombiana de ropa interior". Estudios Gerenciales (in Spanish) (98): 25–56. ISSN 0123-5923.
- ^ "La colombiana Leonisa mantiene el tipo en España: crece un 7% y alcanza los seis millones de euros". Modaes. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Leonisa 60 años: la historia del brassier en Colombia". Fashion Radicals (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ Moss, Loren (11 February 2020). "Victoria's Secret Inks Deal With Colombia's Leonisa, Publisher of 'Whites Only' Catalogs". Finance Colombia. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "TQM by Leonisa desfiló en ColombiaModa Perú 2010". Archived from the original on 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
- ^ "Our Technology | Leonisa". www.leonisa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ^ Ramírez, Carlos Enrique (2006-03-31). "INTERNACIONALIZACION DE LEONISA: UNA EMPRESA COLOMBIANA DE ROPA INTERIOR". Estudios Gerenciales (in Spanish) (98): 25–56. ISSN 0123-5923.
- ^ "Leo - Men's Underwear & Shapewear - Leonisa USA | Leonisa". www.leonisa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- ^ "Workout Clothes for Women | Leonisa". www.leonisa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ^ "Men's Sports Underwear | Leonisa". www.leonisa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ^ "Women's Workout Underwear | Leonisa". www.leonisa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ^ "New shapewear for women | Leonisa". curveez.com. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ "Leggings for Women & Yoga Pants | Leonisa". www.leonisa.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.