After Ashya McDonald moved from Sydney’s western suburbs to the Gold Coast in 2018, she felt shocked and more than a little exposed.
The mother of two was excited about her family’s big change, but couldn’t quite get over how revealing everyone’s swimsuits seemed.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Ashya, who was 38 when she moved north, said she went to shop after shop looking for a bikini but couldn’t find one that ‘covered her bottom’.
“You’d think with all the brands and stores on the Gold Coast I would have found something. But the only swimsuits that even nearly covered my butt were tucked into the back corner and almost always in black,” she said.
‘I also had a teenage son at the time, so not only did I not want to wear something like that… but he definitely didn’t want me to.
When Ashya McDonald moved from Sydney’s western suburbs to the Gold Coast in 2018, she felt shocked and more than a little exposed.
The mother of two was excited about her family’s change, but couldn’t quite handle how revealing each swimsuit seemed to be
“Those bikinis are great for people who can rock them and love them, but nothing was right for the rest of us women.”
Ashya kept joking with friends that she should come up with her own designs for people who didn’t fancy a tiny swimsuit – and call them ‘full butts’.
Then it became reality.
“My girlfriend told me to stop talking about it and just do it,” she said.
Now celebrating her second year in business, she has made more than $300,000 from her swimwear gamble, with sales soaring.
“We’ve had our busiest June ever and we’ll be expanding to the US soon.” she said.
The blonde beauty has even had to hire a team to help with the brand and no longer works in any of the other family businesses.
Ashya, pictured with her daughter Eden, says the business is flourishing
The road to success wasn’t easy as Ashya kept having to send samples back to manufacturers who didn’t get the point.
‘When I unwrapped them excitedly, they were cut incorrectly. I would have to call back and say, “This is not full coverage,” she said.
Finally, a year after we decided to give the company a chance, it was time to start.
“We launched in September 2021 and it took off like a rocket. People I didn’t know reached out to me and supported the company,” she said.
“I was shocked because it wasn’t just friends and family. People thanked me because I came up with something different.’
Her entire range sold out in just 48 hours and it remains popular in Australia as well as gaining ground in New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK.
The swimsuits cover more than most options on the market
Most of Ashya’s customers are mothers in their 30s and 40s, and some styles are also popular with women in their 50s and 60s.
And the mother was surprised to see that young people also enjoyed the designs.
“My daughter is 13 now and it’s good for her to see that there’s no pressure to wear the G-string bikinis,” she said.
“It’s perfect for the pre-teen crowd because it’s still fashionable without giving too much away.”
Ashya also shared some moving comments from her customers, which she believes are making a difference when thinking of new ways to expand the range.
“I had a guy contact me and say, ‘I just want to thank you. We had a great family holiday, and I owe that to my wife’s swimwear. Most years she hid in the beach tent and this one year I saw her swimming, having fun and playing with the children,” she said.
‘I didn’t think that starting a swimwear brand would be the result, that it would change people’s holidays or how they would see themselves on the beach. It’s really beautiful.’
The family moved to the Gold Coast from western Sydney for a tree change
This year Full Bums Swimming won three AusMumpreneur Awards, including gold in the ‘One to Watch’ category
Others have written that they never thought they’d have the confidence to step into a bikini again, or that their insecurities about cellulite melted away when they tried on their new costume.
The range offers a bright range of colors and styles, from hipster bottoms to high waisted, from triangle bikini tops to one-piece bikini tops, in sizes six to 20.
Every year Ashya collaborates with Australian artists who print their original works on the swimwear.
She is passionate about supporting Australian creatives while offering unique swimwear options to her customers.
This year, Full Bums Swimming won three AusMumpreneur Awards, including gold in the ‘One to Watch’ category, and has been named a finalist in the 2023 SHE-com Awards, with winners to be announced in September.