appointed as interim chief executive officer. Ribatt's appointment generated discussions about a potential footwear expansion by Spanx according to a statement Blakely made in October 2013 explaining her ambition to design the world's most comfortable high-heel shoe prior to retirement. In Blakely's June 2014 Forbes profile, the publication claims that the company generates "over $250 million in annual revenues and net profit margins estimated at 20%", while Blakely is very strongly committed to maintaining the private status of Spanx. However, speculation arose about a possible IPO following Goldman's resignation. In July 2014, Jan Singer, formerly of Nike, joined Spanx as CEO. In April 2020, Spanx owner Sara Blakely partnered with longtime friend and restaurant owner Justin Anthony to feed frontline workers to fight the coronavirus. Workers at Atlanta's Children's Healthcare and its associated clinics receive free typical South African meals. It was announced on October 20th, 2021 that Sara Blakely, owner of Spanx, had sold a majority stake in the business to Blackstone. The company was valued at 1.2 billion US dollars. The deal was prepared by an all-female investment team from Blackstone, and it was announced that the Board of Directors would be all-female under Sara Blakely as the Executive Chairwoman. Products and marketing Products The brand produces lines with names such as "Bod-a-Bing!" and "Hide & Sleek." In 2009, Spanx launched a deluxe collection called "Haute Contour" that included items such as a lace thong with waist reinforcements and color options like pink. Following the release, Blakely explained, "I said, 'Let's make it beautiful ... like shapewear in disguise.'" Spanx started manufacturing body-shaping undergarments for men ("Spanx for MenMANX") in 2010, and then introduced denim to an expanding Spanx product line for the brand's "Fall" range in March 2014. Marketing During the inception of Spanx, Blakely was contacting friends and acquaintances, including those from her past, and asking them to seek out her products at select department stores in exchange for a check that she would send to them by mail as a token of appreciation. However, Spanx received a marketing boost shortly afterwards, when Oprah Winfrey endorsed the product as one of her "Favorite Things" on her television show in 2000. Prior to officially establishing the company, Blakely had sent a basket of Spanx products to Winfrey's television program, with a gift card that explained what she was attempting to develop, and this garnered Winfrey's attention. Winfrey's