Nicola Dames - Owner - Vanilla Blush

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We design and specialise intimate health apparel medical devices for people who have undergone major body disfigurement surgery and as a result have a Stoma/Ostomy, or, and abdominal, incisional, umbilical Hernia.

CEO Nicola Dames practiced as a Neuro Intensive Care Nurse in Atkinson Morley Hospital Wimbledon and St George’s Hospital, London. Prior to Nursing she worked as a fashion consultant for Brown Thomas, Dublin.

In March 2006 after 5 years of battling Ulcerative Colitis (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Nicola had major surgery to remove her entire colon. This meant she now required a medical device on her abdomen (referred to as a bag) that collected her waste via a Stoma/Ostomy. Nicola knew she wanted to do something to help her body image, having research the market which resulted in products fit for ones Granny! she decided to design her own range.

Vanilla Blush launched live on ITV This Morning Show in 2008. In 2011 she designed a range of Class 1 medical devices that could be prescribed via the NHS.
2014 VB won best post op brand of the year.
2014. Minister for Health opened their Flagship store in Glasgow.
2014. VB launched their pioneering hernia support devices.
2017. Appointed our own Specialist Stoma Care Nurse Andrea Brown Swarbrick to our team.
2018. Opened two more offices designated to NHS prescription operations.
2019. VB was the first ever garment company to embarked on University lead research, to examine the use (relevance on hernia occurrence) and experience of garments for people living with a stoma. BMJ open Gastro published the first of two papers (Qualitative), with the second (Quantitative) out for review.
VB has representation in 8 European countries, with new countries coming on board year on year.
VB invests heavily in appointing the right people and have a wonderful team of 11 members.
2020: The unknown happened #covid
2021: Nicola became a published first author, backed by an incredible team of Colorectal and Pelvic floor surgeons as well as two other patients.
2022: Launched new VB site | Learn more about Nicola Dames’ work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on LinkedIn