Venus Fashion
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion retail |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Daryle Scott |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville, Florida , United States |
Area served | United States, global (implied) |
| Products | Women's apparel, footwear, jewelry, accessories, swimwear, lingerie |
Number of employees | 1000 (2018) |
| Parent | Bon Prix (Otto Group) |
Venus is a U.S.-based fashion retailer specializing in online and catalog sales, with its headquarters located in Jacksonville, Florida. The company provides a wide assortment of women's apparel, footwear, jewelry, and accessories, placing particular emphasis on swimwear and lingerie. Venus is also known for its commitment to philanthropy and community involvement.
Background
The origins of Venus trace back to 1982 when Daryle Scott, an IBM engineer pursuing an MBA, co-established a mail-order clothing business focused on bodysuits. By 1984, Scott introduced Venus Body Wear, marketing women's leotards and activewear through national magazine advertisements. The following year, the product line expanded to include women's swimwear, prompting a rebranding to Venus Swimwear. In 1998, the company inaugurated its first brick-and-mortar store at Jacksonville Landing mall and operated an outlet factory on Beach Boulevard.
In 1999, Venus acquired WinterSilks, a prominent importer of silk fashion items. To better represent its diversified offerings, the company simplified its name to Venus in 2000. November 2006 marked the acquisition of an 80% interest in Venus, Venus Manufacturing, and WinterSilks by Golden Gate Capital, which consolidated these entities under Venus Holdings, LLC. Retail expansion continued with the launch of additional stores in Florida shopping centers such as Coconut Point in Estero.
The German catalog company Bon Prix, part of the Otto Group, purchased Venus Holdings in 2009. By 2018, Venus employed close to 1,000 personnel—approximately 600 at its Jacksonville headquarters, 300 within its distribution facility, and around 50 at a design office based in Boca Raton. In September 2020, the firm announced workforce reductions affecting 120 employees at its distribution center to facilitate the establishment of a second distribution hub on the West Coast.
This strategic initiative highlights Venus’s sustained growth trajectory and investment in enhancing logistics infrastructure to bolster market position and expand global operations amid the competitive landscape of fashion retail.
In the media
Venus swimwear was featured in the February 2012 edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, worn by models Kate Upton and Julie Henderson. The brand's swimwear has also been showcased on CBS during The Wendy Williams Show.
Since 1989, Venus has hosted an annual Venus Model Search competition, which gained television exposure through its inclusion in episode five of AXS TV's reality program Bikini Destinations aired in 2003.
Collaborations
In 2002, actress and model Brooke Burke collaborated with Venus to launch the Barely Brooke swimwear collection. More recently, in June 2020, Venus Fashion teamed up with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit to release a swimwear line featuring nearly 40 designs. This assortment included long-sleeved one-piece suits as well as tie-dye patterns, neon colors, color-blocking styles, and animal prints. Priced between $85 and $140, these pieces were available for purchase online and some were highlighted within the 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit publication.
Sponsorships
- Designated presenting sponsor for The Jacksonville ROAR cheerleading squad during the 2014/2015 season.
Venus models
| Model | Profession | Notable achievements |
|---|---|---|
| Bree Condon[1] | Actress and fashion model | Cast member in the 2019 movie Bombshell |
| Jessica Hart[1] | Fashion model | Graced the covers of Australian editions of Vogue, Elle, and GQ |
| Brooke Burke | Fitness personality and model | Host of E!'s Wild On! and CBS's reality series Rock Star |
| Joanna Krupa[1] | Television personality and model | Previously appeared on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Miami |
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Model and professional wrestler | Performed as a WWE wrestler on the ECW Brand |
| Karen McDougal | Actress and model | Featured as Playboy' Playmate of the Month (December 1997) and Playmate of the Year (1998) |
| Nikki Schieler | Model and actress | Appeared as Playboy' Playmate of the Month (September 1997) |
| Dalene Kurtis | Model | Honored as Playboy' Playmate of the Month (September 2001) and Playmate of the Year (2002) |
| Rachel Reynolds | Model | Served as prize model on CBS's game show The Price Is Right |