In 2026, Florida State University awarded Sara Blakely with Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to commemorate her work as an inventor and philanthropist.
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Sara Blakely
Sara Treleaven Blakely is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She founded Spanx, an intimate apparel company with pants and leggings, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2024, Blakely created the footwear brand, Sneex.
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business · American businesswoman (born 1971) · businessperson · stand-up comedian · patron of the arts · also Sara Blakely, Blakely
Born 27 February 1971 · Q782637
22 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 2 entries
Florida State University awarded Sara Blakely with Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to commemorate her work as an inventor and philanthropist
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2024· 2 entries
Blakely created Sneex, a footwear brand focused on high-heeled sneakers
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Blakely created the footwear brand, Sneex
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2019· 1 entry
Blakely paid $162,500 at an auction for the black pants worn by Olivia Newton-John in Grease; the proceeds from which benefited Newton-John's cancer treatment center in Melbourne, Australia
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2017· 1 entry
Reported net worth: $1B (as of 2017).
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2015· 1 entry
Blakely and her husband Jesse Itzler were part of a group led by Tony Ressler that purchased the Atlanta Hawks for $850 million
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2014· 1 entry
Was listed as the 93rd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes
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2013· 1 entry
Blakely became the first female billionaire to join the "Giving Pledge," Bill Gates and Warren Buffett's pledge, whereby the world's richest people donate at least half of their wealth to charity
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2012· 3 entries
Awarded Time 100 (2012).
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Blakely landed on the cover of Forbes magazine for being the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world
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Blakely was named in Time magazine's "Time 100" annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world
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2011· 1 entry
That the experience of developing her idea also revealed to her that the hosiery manufacturing industry was overseen solely by men who were not using the products they were producing
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2008· 2 entries
Career landmark: marriage.
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Blakely married Jesse Itzler, the co-founder of Marquis Jet
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2006· 4 entries
In 2006, Blakely launched the Sara Blakely Foundation to help women through education and entrepreneurial training.
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Blakely launched the Sara Blakely Foundation to help women through education and entrepreneurial training
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Donating $1 million to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
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Since its launch, The Sara Blakely Foundation has funded scholarships for young women at the Community and Individual Development Association City Campus in South Africa and Blakely appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006, donating $1 million to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
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2005· 1 entry
Blakely attained second place as a contestant on The Rebel Billionaire, a reality television series that introduced her to Richard Branson, who later supported Blakely in her endeavors as both an entrepreneur and philant
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2001· 1 entry
Blakely signed a contract with QVC, the home shopping channel
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1971· 1 entry
Born 1971-02-27.
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