Aussie swimwear brand plans global expansion with its “full bum” coverage offering

Australia’s first swimwear range dedicated to ‘full bum’ coverage is giving women the confidence to get back in their bathers, with its founder revealing plans to further its global footprint and make a difference in the lives of women and their families — one beach day at a time. 

Full Bums Swimwear was launched in September 2021 by founder Ashya McDonald after she noticed there weren’t many swimwear options for women who preferred more coverage for those sunny beach days, racing their kids down the beach to the ocean, or even relaxing by the pool.

In the two years since it launched, with the initial range selling out within 48 hours, the award-winning swimwear brand has made around $300,000 and plans to expand into the US market next financial year.

McDonald says after her family moved to the Gold Coast in 2018, she noticed a trend towards a cheekier or G-string style bikini. 

“It honestly started as a joke ‘one day I’m going to start a swimwear brand and I’m going to call it Full Bums,’” she told SmartCompany.  

From an idea to reality

“After a year or so of doing this, a friend said you really should start this business. Twelve months of research and trying to find a manufacturer who understood what I was after I launched Full Bums Swimwear.

“Not only had the trend at the beach moved to cheekier styles but the shops were really reflecting this and as someone who wanted to have my butt cheeks covered and a daughter hitting her teenage years I realised there was a gap in the market. 

“Now there are a lot of brands that do stock full bum coverage but it’s usually the smallest collection or in the back corner or it’s Kmart and Target. I wanted to create something that was the centrepiece of our brand.”

McDonald says when she launched the business in 2021, she had no idea how it was going to go.

“I created my own little hype around it. Had a heap of friends around to launch it, celebrated all the small things, like our first photoshoot,” she says.

“When we launched, with not much of a following really — a few of our sizes and sizes sold out within the first week. I was reordering straight away. 

“I used influencers to get the brand out there. Just sharing my story and how I was a startup – there were quite a few influencers who were happy to help. Some paid, some with gifted products, but it was one particular influencer, the moment she posted our whole brand changed. Sales went crazy and I was just in shock.

‘Just winging it’

“I felt like for the first 12 months I was just winging it, no major strategy – just gut feelings. 

“I was happy with whatever happened. If winter was quiet then I was okay with that. By the 12-month mark, I really realised I was onto something great. That there were women all over the world that still wanted to wear a full coverage bottom. 

“So that’s when I went all in, stepped away from our other business I was running with my husband and focussed 100% on Full Bums Swimwear.

“When we really started to take off, I didn’t expect all the emails and handwritten notes I would receive from super happy customers. Women who had never worn bikinis had decided to give them a try, or who hadn’t worn them since having kids braved it.”

The brand also collaborates with Australian artists on a yearly basis and prints their original works on swimwear, from hipster bottoms to high waists, triangle bikini tops to one-pieces in sizes 6 to 20.

Source: Supplied

McDonald says she has just employed her first employee.

“If you don’t include the whole family being involved in packing hundreds of orders last summer,” she said. 

“I’m also in the process of employing a small team for customer service and taking a few other roles off my plate. 

“Being a one-woman show for the first two years has been amazing, but for us to go to the next level I’m bringing in people that will do roles and tasks 10 times better than me.

“Last financial year, which was our second summer, we were just short of $250,000 and we are on track to reach $400,000 this financial year.”

Full Bums also received an export grant from the Australian government this year, which McDonald says will enable the brand to grow further. 

“So I’ll be launching a warehouse and base in the USA next summer,” she says. 

“We already have a great base there, but having a warehouse will be a game changer for us. 

“We have also tapped into the New Zealand and Canadian markets and do quite well in both of those countries.”