A Werribee model and fashion designer is spreading the message that big can be beautiful.
Amber Gwynn has launched her own fashion label catering for women who are considered plus-sized.
Ms Gwynn, 30, says she was inspired to create her own line of clothes after working as a model and seeing the limited range available to larger women.
“After working in the fashion industry I identified there was a gap in quality boutique wear for women who wear larger sizes,” she says.
“I guess I wanted to advocate that all women are real, no matter what their size or shape.”
Ms Gwynn says that, technically, anything above a size 12 is considered plus-sized in Australia, but she plans to provide clothes up to size 30.
“My mum’s a larger lady and she’s always inspired me with her style.
“Up to size 12 you can get really nice boutique wear, but anything beyond that it starts to get challenging.
“I just wanted to promote a positive body image for young girls and show that there is such a thing as healthy curves. It’s OK to have hips and thighs.”
Reflecting the message that Ms Gwynn is trying to convey, her fledgling label is named Nyata, which means ‘‘real’’ in Indonesian.
Ms Gwynn says her first line of clothing consists of only black and white designs, but she plans to branch out once her label grows in popularity.
