Our History

Our company was founded over 20 years ago with the idea to provide women with fashionably sexy lingerie that provides figure solutions at great prices- a guiltless pleasure! Ariela and Associates is one of the largest privately held lingerie companies in the country, selling over 60 million garments a year under numerous national brands. Smart & Sexy is our first in house brand created for the fashion savvy woman. Smart fit, sexy flattering looks, quality, comfort and amazing value are the brand’s guiding principles. 

 

Our CEO

Ariela Balk is CEO and President of Ariela and Associates – a privately-held global manufacturer of intimate apparel, sleepwear and swimwear. She started the company with only $15,000. Ariela got her start working as an assistant at an underwear company at 19 years old. Six weeks later she moved into sales, making her goal excellence in customer service. In her next job, she insisted on designing everything she sold to ensure her customers got exactly what they needed. “I could never sell anything I didn’t believe in,” she says.

 

Ariela started working on her first business plan at 21 and started Ariela and Associates at 27, right after the birth of her third child. She has made it a mission of the company to support women’s charities and organizations. “Giving back is the most gratifying part of my work,” says Ariela. As a successful businesswoman with eight children, she is uniquely positioned to share her experiences and help other women realize their potential.