Australian model Robyn Lawley debuted her plus-size swimwear collection online this week, and the 24-year-old Sydney native hopes it will eventually become the "go-to brand for swimwear for all women."
The collection,
sold exclusively at Madison Plus Select, includes swimsuits from size eight to 18 and ranges in price from $140 to $200.
"I swim almost daily, and I found most swimwear that came in my size to be boring and unflattering with no real fashion elements,"
Lawley told fashion site Refinery29.com. "I also couldn't find any bikinis that supported my bust in the surf, or had a high enough rise in the stomach section to be flattering, so the idea was born from my own necessity and grew from there."
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Lawley, who was the first plus-sized model to star in a Ralph Lauren campaign and appear in the pages of Vogue Australia, hopes her line will change the public's attitude about plus-sized fashion. Despite the fact that the average American woman wears a size 14 or larger, Lawley said companies still cater to the smaller segment of the population.
"I genuinely want companies to take notice and start being more realistic about who their customer really is," she said during a "Good Morning America" appearance last year. "I hope to keep breaking down those barriers."
Lawley hopes to expand her line in the future to include all sizes for all women.
"I want Robyn Lawley swimwear to be the go-to brand for swimwear for all women," she said. "We will add sizing according to the feedback we receive and we are really hoping the demand is there. We have also ensured that the sizing is 'true' for my collection; regular swimwear brands tend to be very small fit, and you often find yourself going up one or two sizes to be comfortable. This is not the case with my line."
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