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Kiwi start up giving plus-sized women more fashion choice

Author
Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Sun, 12 May 2019, 12:22PM
Joanna McLeod launched the company after struggling to find plus sized, ethically made clothes in New Zealand. (Photo / Supplied)

Kiwi start up giving plus-sized women more fashion choice

Author
Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Sun, 12 May 2019, 12:22PM

Joanna McLeod is a woman who really put her money where her mouth is.

She’s a self-described fat woman who always bemoaned the lack of ethically made, colourful, plus-sized clothes.

She’s got no fashion experience, but decided if no-one else was going to make the clothes she wants to wear, then she would.

She’s borrowed some money, thrown caution into the wind, and launched her own label, House of Boom, at the end of last year.

McLeod told Jack Tame that she was not a fan of the synthetic materials and 'couch-like' patterns of the plus-sized clothing that was available in New Zealand.

"I'm pretty young but I don't want to look like the mother of the bride."

She says that the move towards ethical clothing and the lack of options in New Zealand pushed her towards launching her own label. 

McLeod says that the first thing she wanted was a skirt that she always wanted, and she worked with a fabric maker to put together the clothing. She says she wanted to keep her items simple, and doesn't even think of them as fashion as they are 

"It wasn't reinventing the wheel in terms of the basic design, but changing them so they would accommodate fat bodies and so they would be what I wanted to wear."

She says that there is a huge demand for plus-sized clothing in New Zealand, but the push is for smaller sizes.

"There are designers in New Zealand who can't even fit their own clothing."

While it is a big risk, McLeod has the benefit of already owning her own home, and runs House of Boom alongside her full time job. However, all signs suggest the company is going strong. 

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