You’ve been saying iconic bra brand name Bendon wrong your whole life

Bendon is one of the biggest names in lingerie on the planet, but most people mispronounce it.

The iconic New Zealand brand is best known for its wide range of bras with everything from the best basics to the most luxurious date night specials.

But most people pronounce the brand too quickly. Ben-d’n.

According to Kirstin Sweeney, General Sales Manager for the New Zealand-born brand, it’s said to “bend” because it was made to bend over the body.

The Bendon group was founded in 1947 and has been mispronounced in different markets in the decades since.

Bendon has been in business since 1947 when it was launched in New Zealand.

Other major brands have called out common mispronunciations recently, and popular companies like adidas have left many in shock.

It is pronounced ‘a-DEE-das’ with an emphasis on the second syllable, not ‘AH-dee-das’, which is the common mispronunciation.

FASHION

Hermès is the most mispronounced fashion brand. Naming this brand can be tricky if you don’t speak the native language, but it is correctly pronounced ‘EHR-mez’.

Another French luxury fashion house, Louis Vuitton, has been a real mouthful for some, and it’s correctly pronounced ‘lou-ee VWEE-tah-n’.

Versace is also one of the most mispronounced brands. The epitome of Italian luxury, founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, is currently creatively led by his sister, Donatella.

The designer and businesswoman has even criticized people who mispronounce in an iconic video where she sets the record straight by saying: It’s not ‘ver-sah-chee’, it’s ‘Ver-sah-CHEH’.

Similarly, the sports brand Nike has caused much debate about the pronunciation of its name, taken from the Greek goddess of victory.

The name is pronounced ‘ni-key’ and not ‘nyke’ as it is commonly known.

This became clear in June 2014 when Philip Knight, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nike, received a letter asking him to circle if Nike is pronounced as ‘Nike’ or ‘Nikey’.

Ben Martin and Kendal Peters, who sent the letter, posted a photo of the returned sheet where the latter is encircled.

Another misstep is referring to the French brand Givenchy as ‘ga-vin-chee’. Those who want to master this pronunciation should fake a slight French accent and say: ‘zhee-von-she’. The Kardashian favourite, Balmain is pronounced ‘bal-ma’ and Balenciaga has a soft ‘C’, which is pronounced ‘bah-len-see-ah-gah’.

Also very confusing to some is Swiss luxury watch maker Hublot.

Although it may be read as ‘hub-lot’ to us Brits, the correct way to pronounce the name is ‘oo-blow’.

The Italian brand Bulgari, known for its jewelry, watches and fragrances, is also commonly known as ‘bul-gar-ree’, which is incorrect. In fact, it should be pronounced: ‘bul-guh-ree’.

BEAUTY

Beauty brands can also leave some people speechless.

Super popular American brand Glossier has been leaving people scratching their heads over how to say their name, with some pronouncing it: ‘Gloss-ee-ur’.

The correct way to pronounce it is actually ‘gloss-ee-yay’.

Many people have been confused about how to pronounce L’Occitane, the name of the French beauty retailer.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pronounce the Provence-inspired brand, chances are you’re not alone. The correct way to pronounce it is ‘lox-EE-tahn’.

CeraVe has also turned out to be thorny for some. The brand is known for its skin care products formulated to help restore the skin’s protective barrier.

FEMAIL reveals how to actually pronounce the names of these brands, which have left Brits stumbling over the years.

If you weren’t sure how to say it, the correct pronunciation is ‘CER-ah-vee’.

FOOD AND DRINK

Long Britain’s favorite chocolate hazelnut spread, Nutella is officially pronounced ‘new-tell-uh’, not ‘nuh-tell-uh’ as ​​many UK fans use.

This announcement made headlines in September 2015 when the Italian manufacturer Ferrero made the reveal on the official Nutella website in the FAQ section.

The popular Stella Artois lager often fools people with its French name. While it is common for people to pronounce the ‘S’ at the end, the correct way to order this drink is ‘stel-ah ar-twa’.

Hoegaarden, producers of a wheat beer from Belgium, is normally pronounced ‘home-gar-den’ by Brits ordering the drink. However, in the country where it is made it is known as ‘who-gar-den’.

CARS

Car brands can also be difficult to pronounce. The German car manufacturer Porsche is pronounced ‘por-sha’, not ‘porsh’, and the South Korean car company Hyundai should be pronounced ‘hun-day’, not ‘hi-yun-dai’.

The German Volkswagen is also a bit of a tongue twister. The ‘L’ is, in fact, silent, so the word is pronounced ‘vo-ks var-gen’.