Former X Factor contestant launches La Dama Lingerie

Chelsea Griffin, 25, appeared on the TV talent show in 2011, when she was 16.

On Saturday, the Witney resident celebrated the launch of La Dama Lingerie at the French Crêpe in Cowley Road.

Ms Griffin, who was born in Zimbabwe and moved to the UK when she was five, and grew up in Blackbird Leys, said she was inspired to set up the business by the increase in mental health awareness in recent years.

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She said: “I’ve adapted that into my new business by making sure every body size, skin colour and sex is appreciated.

“Many people often think that lingerie is for just a certain body size and your body has to be perfect but there’s beauty in your naturalness and this is why our brand slogan is ‘your natural is exotic and beautiful’.

“This is to tell everyone who wears my lingerie that you don’t have to be perfect, you can have stretch marks or any kind of imperfections, and you certainly don’t have to be size zero.

“I want to change people’s perspective on lingerie, I know lingerie is sexy but I also want to let people know that you can wear lingerie without having to show the world and still feel empowered and also you can be any body shape and still look beautiful.”

Ms Griffin explained the meaning behind the brand name ‘La Dama’.

She said it translates as ‘the lady’ in Spanish, as she looks to start a lingerie business which inspires and empowers women.

“We are going big, that’s my vision, and although it’s only online at the moment, I want to open a shop at some point and I’d love to open one locally,” she said.

Ms Griffin has previously worked as a model for Ann Summers but it’s the music industry where she started, almost 10 years ago.

In the same year Little Mix won the competition, Griffin took part and made the bootcamp part of the show.

Ms Griffin said she received ‘four yeses’ from judges Louis Walsh, Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland and Tulisa Contostavlos, and made the top 16 of the girls section.

Although she did not make the live shows, Griffin says that Mr Barlow said ‘we are looking at the new face of British music’.

“I was really young when I went on X Factor but music is still something I want to pursue,” Ms Griffin said.

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“I’ve been a support artist for Chip and Wande Coal, an Afro beats artist, as well as performing in the studio with the likes of DJ Fresh and Fuse ODG.

“With modelling, I met the right photographers, some really good ones, and I’ve been able to model for Ann Summers on their Instagram page.”

Away from music and modelling, Ms Griffin has also worked as an air hostess for British Airways and previously won the Miss Face of Peace Africa beauty pageant.

La Dama products can be pre-ordered before they officially go on sale on Thursday, August 13.