Lingerie tycoon dies three weeks after robbers launched savage attack in a …

October 30, 2012 by admin
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Tony Power was the founder of top
lingerie firm Panache whose underwear is worn by Scarlett
Johannson, Holly Willoughby and Katie Price
Mr Power had gone to a park to look for
his missing brother when he was attacked
He was found unconscious and was left with fractured skull and bleeding on the brain
Police confirmed that he died from his injuries over the weekend

By
Steve Nolan

PUBLISHED:

15:49 EST, 29 October 2012

|

UPDATED:

07:02 EST, 30 October 2012

Anthony Power

Attack: Tony Power, 78, was the founder of top
lingerie firm Panache whose underwear is worn by Hollywood star Scarlett
Johannson, TV presenter Holly Willoughby and Jordan aka Katie Price

An entrepreneur who set up a multi-million-pound lingerie firm from his garage has died after he was beaten during a park robbery earlier this month.

Anthony Power, 78, was found with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain after the attack on October 8, which took place at High Hazels Park just a few miles from his home in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Police confirmed today that Mr Power, who founded the Panache lingerie firm, died from his injuries over the weekend.

Detectives believe that the attack on Mr Power may have been an attempt to steal his £180,000 Bentley Continental, which was parked nearby.

He suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

The attack happened after Mr Power drove to the park – seven miles from his home in Bradway, Sheffield – to look for his elderly brother because he was concerned for his welfare.

His brother was later found safe and well.

Mr Power, who was being treated in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, made his fortune as he went from selling bras from his garage to supplying lingerie across the globe.

His rags to riches tale began in the early 1980s when he was made redundant from Playtex where he worked as a salesman.

His commercial brainwave was to realise there was a gap in the market for lingerie aimed at curvier women and he set up his company, Panache, in 1982 with money from mortgaging his house.

The scene where Anthony Power the founder of Panache Lingerie was attacked in High Hazels Park Sheffield

Crime scene: A police cordon at the scene where Mr Power was attacked in High Hazels Park, Sheffield

Today, the international firm has
annual sales of £23million and its bras are supplied to major high
street and online retailers.

Panache

Underwear: Model wears a Panache bra. The label was launched by Mr Power in 1982

Its products have received celebrity
backing from the likes of actress Scarlett Johansson and TV presenter
Holly Willoughby. Mr Power, who lived with his wife Maureen, stepped
down from running Panache in 2008

The Sheffield-based company also has offices in New York, Germany and Hong Kong and employs 200 employees.

The company is currently run by Mr Power’s sons, John, who he worked alongside for almost two decades, and Danny who is the business development director.

He also had two daughters, Siobhan and Louise and a number of grandchildren.

The business won a Queen’s Enterprise award in 2002 and now has several separate brands – including Panache Superbra and Panache Swimwear.

A spokesman for Panache said shortly after the attack on October 8: ‘As a close, family-run company, this
incident has come as a big shock and our thoughts and prayers are with
the Power family at this difficult and private time.’

Residents in Mr Power’s neighbourhood expressed their shock at the time.

A local man, Imran Khan, 30, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery in connection with the incident.

The scene where Anthony Power the founder of Panache Lingerie was attacked

A 30-year-old man from nearby Darnall,
Sheffield, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery

The scene where Anthony Power the founder of Panache Lingerie was attacked

Police confirmed that Mr Power died from his injuries, sustained in High Hazels Park (pictured), at the weekend

The firm said in a statement: ‘It has come as a great shock to us all at Panache Lingerie that founder former chairman Anthony Power, who was the victim of a horrific attack in a Sheffield park on Monday 8th October, sadly due to his injuries, passed away with his family around him on Friday night at the Northern General hospital.

‘Anthony Power established Panache, the lingerie manufacturer, over 30 years ago as A, J D Marketing after working for many years in the lingerie industry.

‘An entrepreneur, Anthony Power built up the business, now known as Panache Lingerie from scratch. The company now employs over 170 staff members worldwide in the Sheffield, New York, Germany Hong Kong offices with Panache’s brands being sold in over 38 countries worldwide.

‘In 2007 at the age of 73, grandfather of eight Anthony, handed over the role of Chairman Managing Director to his son, John Power, who occupies this position today alongside his brother Danny Power who is Business Development Director in what is an extremely close, family run company with over 120 employees in the local area.

‘The thoughts and prayers of everyone within Panache are with the Power family at this difficult and private time,’ the statement said.