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Logo

Ultimo is a Glaswegian designer lingerie brand founded by tycoon Michelle Mone.

History[link]

Michelle Mone, born 1971,^[1] grew up in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland and, after an early career as a model, ran Labatt's Scottish sales and marketing team. After being made redundant and having her second child, in October 1996 she decided, while wearing a very uncomfortable cleavage enhancing brassiere at a dinner dance, that she could create a better design. Her stated aims were to create a brassiere that was both more comfortable, and better looking, creating more cleavage.^[2]

She founded MJM International Ltd in November 1996, and three years of research, design, and development resulted in the patented Ultimo bra. In August 1999, a month after having her third child, Mone launched Ultimo at Selfridges department store in London. Selfridges sold the pre-launch estimate of six weeks of stock within 24 hours, which as of 2009 was still cited by MJM as the biggest media launch of a bra in Great Britain, with over 50 photographers present and camera crews from all over the world.^{[citation needed]}

In May 2000, Ultimo was launched in the United States at the Saks Fifth Avenue store in New York.^[2]

In September 2003, MJM launched their third design, The Ultimo Miracle Body, a backless and front-less bra. In April 2004, the company launched a new lingerie brand with Asda, branded "Michelle for George", and in September 2006, launched "Adore Moi" for Debenhams.

In May 2007, MJM moved beyond lingerie, with the launch of the "Trim Secrets" diet pill.

MJM International signed a deal with Debenhams CEO Rob Templeman to open stand alone Ultimo stores within Debenhams. The first Ultimo shop opened in Glasgow's Debenhams Silverburn in October 2007. As of June 2008, there are twelve Ultimo stores across the UK and Ireland. In addition, MJM International currently supply Debenhams, Selfridges, House of Fraser, Next, Grattan, Littlewoods, Figleaves, and ASOS.com, along with a number of independent lingerie stores.

Marketing[link]

Penny Lancaster was the first Ultimo girl, replaced a year later by Rachel Hunter, and then Helena Christensen, who was later replaced by Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding.^[3] In April 2007, Rod Stewart claimed he felt insulted when Mone signed his daughter Kimberly Stewart as the face and body of Adore Moi for Debenhams.^[4]

In October 2007, Ultimo launched their new brand, the Ultimo D-G cup, modelled by former Hollyoaks actress Gemma Atkinson.^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Ultimo website
• Michelle Mone Biography Room54 Ltd Michelle Mone Corporate Speaking

v t e Lingerie Upper torso Types of bras (History) Balconette brassiere • Bandeau • Cupless bra • Male bra • Nursing bra • Push-up bra • Sports bra • Training bra • Underwire bra Other Babydoll • Bustier • Camisole • Negligee • Torsolette Lower torso Bikini • Boyshorts • French knickers • Girdle • Girl boxers • Panties • Tanga • Tap pants • Thong (G-string) Full torso BodyBriefer • Corsage • Corset • Corselet • Nightshirt • Playsuit • Slip • Teddy Hosiery Garter • Knee highs • Pantyhose • Stocking Historical Basque • Bustle • Chemise • Crinoline • Farthingale • Hoop skirt • Liberty bodice • Pannier • Pantalettes • Petticoat • Pettipants • Waist cincher • Yếm Accessories Falsies • Lingerie tape Brands Aerie • Agent Provocateur • American Apparel • Andrés Sardá • Baby Phat • Bali • Berlei • Bruno Banani • Calvin Klein • Chantelle • DKNY • Formfit • Frederick's of Hollywood • Fruit of the Loom • Gerbe • Gilly Hicks • Hanes • HerRoom • Intimissimi • Intimo Lingerie • Jockey • Jolidon • La Senza • Maidenform • No Nonsense • Olga Intimates • Passport Panties • Peach John • Playtex • Pretty Polly • Trashy Lingerie • Triumph International • Ultimo • Underalls • Valisere • Van de Velde • Vassarette • Victoria's Secret • Wacoal • Warner's • Wolford • Wonderbra • XTG Extreme Game

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011)

Money Mark
Money Mark in March 2007
Background information
Birth name	Mark Ramos-Nishita
Origin	United States
Genres	Hip-hop Jazz
Occupations	Keyboardist Record Producer
Instruments	Keyboard Piano Melodica
Labels	Various
Associated acts	Beastie Boys Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group Banyan Hello Seahorse! Jack Johnson

Mark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. He also appears on the first Banyan album in 1997 as the "Freeway Keyboardist".

Career[link]

His first album, the relatively obscure Mark's Keyboard Repair (1995), was made up of keyboard driven pop-funk songs recorded at demo quality. It was followed up by the Third Version EP in 1996 and Push the Button in 1998. Whereas his 1996 EP was similar to his debut, Push the Button was extremely eclectic, combining aspects of rock music and pop with soul, funk and hip hop. This LP was met with good reviews, as was his 2001 follow up Change is Coming which had a tropical yet danceable disco and funk sound.^{[citation needed]}

Money Mark contributed the keyboard phrase that opens and underpins "Where It's At" from Beck's 1996 album, Odelay. He played keyboards on tour for the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet in support of their self-titled album. He has since become a full member of the quintet, appearing on the live EP with Damo Suzuki called Please Heat This Eventually and several other albums, with his debut full-length collaboration with the group being the Quintet's second LP release, The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange. In 1996, Money Mark contributed the song "Use Your Head (Use A Sua Cabeca)" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization. He also contributed songs to Red Hot's Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin and Red Hot + Rhapsody a tribute to George Gershwin. He appeared in the 2004 documentary film Moog with Bruce Haack. In September 2006, Money Mark signed to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records label. Brand New By Tomorrow, his first album with Brushfire, was released in February 2007. In late 2006, he opened for Gnarls Barkley at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. In 2007, Money Mark and The Woodrow Jackson Orchestra recorded a cover version of Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme" for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association. Money Mark composed original music for the 2008 documentary film Beautiful Losers.^[1] In 2009, he appears as a member of Lord Newborn and The Magic Skulls, a collaboration with Shawn Lee and Tommy Guerrero.

In 2011, he contributed the Mario C. Remix of "Tropicaliá" with Beck and Seu Jorge as well as a version of the song "Tropical Affair" with Thalma de Freitas and João Parahyba for Red Hot Organization's most recent charitable album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot + Rio." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.

Money Mark contributed to many of the tracks used in the soundtrack to the film Horrible Bosses; working with Mike McCready and Stefan Lessard.

Solo discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Mark's Keyboard Repair (1995, Mo' Wax)
• Push the Button (1998, Mo' Wax)
• Change is Coming (2001)
• Father Demo Square (2005, Rush! Production)
• Brand New By Tomorrow (2007, Brushfire Records)
• Stand Up For Your Rice! (2007, Rush! Production)

Live albums[link]

• Mark on the Mike (1998, Toy's Factory)

Extended plays[link]

• Performing Chicken EP (1994, Fido Speaks Music/Love Kit Records)
• Legitimate Pop Songs? - Money Mark Live at Rough Trade (1996, Mo' Wax)
• Third Version EP (1996, Mo' Wax)
• Love Stains: A Demo (2002)
• Demo? Or Demolition? EP (2004, Chocolate Industries)

Singles[link]

• "U Want Me Back" (1992)
• "Insects Are All Around Us" / "Cry" (1995)
• "Cry" (1995)
• "Hand in Your Head" (1998)
• "Maybe I'm Dead" (1998)
• "Burn Away" (2005)
• "Pick Up the Pieces" (2006)

Releases on Mo' Wax[link]

• MW 034 LP Mark's Keyboard Repair LP
• MW 090 Push The Button LP
• MW 090 LP Push The Button LP (One 12", One 10" & One 7")
• MW 032 Insects Are All Around Us / Cry 7"
• MW 036 Cry 12"
• MW 032 P Album Sampler 10"
• MW 043 DJ Third Version 7" (Promo)
• MW 043 MLP Third Version EP 10" (Mini Album)
• MW 044 Legitimate Pop Songs? - Money Mark Live At Rough Trade 7"
• MW 066 Hand In Your Head 12"
• MW 066 DJ Cry (Dust Brothers Remix) / Got My Hand In Your Head (New Mix) 10" (Promo)
• MW 066 DJ2 Hand In Your Head 12" (Promo)
• MW 089 Maybe I'm Dead 12"
• MW 089 DJ Maybe I'm Dead 12" (White Label Promo)
• MW 089 S Maybe I'm Dead 7" (Ltd 7" Shaped Chihuahua)

^[2]

Collaboration discography[link]

With the Beastie Boys

• Check Your Head (1992)
• Ill Communication (1994)
• Hello Nasty (1998)
• The Mix-Up (2007)

With Banyan

• Banyan (1997)

With the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group

• Please Heat This Eventually (2007)
• Se Dice Bisonte, No Bùfalo (2007)
• Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Lydia Lunch (2007)
• The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange (2007)
• Calibration (Is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far) (2007)

With Hello Seahorse!

• Lejos. No tan Lejos (2010)

With Big Sir

• Und Die Scheisse Andert Sich Immer (2006)
• Before Gardens After Gardens (2012)^[3]

With the John Butler Trio

• Grand National (2007)

With Joseph D'Anvers

• Kids (2008)

With Yo Gabba Gabba

• Robodancing (2008)

With Kinky

• Those Girls (2009)

With Red Hot Chili Peppers

• I'm With You (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Money Mark at Allmusic
• "Live from SXSW 2007" on 89.3 The Current