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[Voiceover]: Welcome to the checkout. We catch up with previous add to cart guests and ask them five quick questions to get to know them better and leave you with a little extra inspiration to get through your Friday Friday. Here's your host, Joanne Hugh Miller.
[Voiceover]: Today's checkout features Natalie Wakeling, founder of Embody Women, Australia's first plus size model. Natalie landed an editorial spread in Cosmo in 2000, and since then she's worked with every major Australian fashion title, plus size brand and major retailer. Her own struggle as a teenager to find fashion that fit led her on a crusade for size inclusivity and in 2006 she launched her own plus size fashion label, Embodied Women.
Nathan Bush: Okay, here we go. Nat, what is the weirdest thing you've ever bought online?
Natalie Wakeling: I'm really boring. I'm so boring. I haven't bought anything weird online, but my children do. Like, I'll come home and there'll be
Natalie Wakeling: a muffler in a like weird car or like really weird gadgets that they buy.
Natalie Wakeling: But I'm boring. I'm very boring.
Natalie Wakeling: I have looked.
Natalie Wakeling: It's pretty much makeup or hair products for me.
Nathan Bush: Okay, let's move on. What is your favorite retailer?
Natalie Wakeling: Me and Body Women. Embody women.
Natalie Wakeling: Pretty much. That's all that's in my wardrobe. Look, I will go sometimes I'll shop at Seed or Witchery because that seems to be like if, if there's something that I can't make for myself within embodied women, that's where I will go. But to tell you the truth, I don't buy a lot of clothes. I know that's hard to believe, isn't it? But I have my good staples and I've learned how to just make them look new.
Nathan Bush: And which retail fad do you wish was history
Natalie Wakeling: using models like what we discussed before? If you're offering up to a size 18 or 20, make sure you're using some size 14, 16, 18 models don't hide them in the background because you're not going to get what you want from your sales if women that are plus size cannot see that you're offering it. So if you're offering it, be proud and. And advertise it.
Nathan Bush: Yeah. You know, obviously when you look at fast fashion brands, like Pretty Little Thing, there are problems around sustainability there. But I will say that when it comes to their campaigns and diversity, they do very well. You know, in terms of showing a product. I think show post started doing that as well. So they'll show a product on a size 8 model and then a size 16 model. So I think that's quite promising.
Natalie Wakeling: That's exactly how you should do it, in my opinion. You should just be showing both.
Nathan Bush: Yeah. Can you recommend a book or a podcast that our listeners should immediately get into?
Natalie Wakeling: So again, I haven't had too much time to get into a lot of podcasts, but that the two that I do pique my interest and they're always around empowering women. So one is called More Money for Shoes. She's an amazing accountant. Don't know if you've heard of her. Melissa Brown, she's super clever and she teaches financial literacy for women. That's amazing. She has podcasts that just help women dig themselves out of financial holes. I also love the queen of confidence, Erica Kramer. Oh, she is gold. She is on fire. She just makes you be accountable to yourself if you're not hitting your goals. She's clever and I love. Is it Mark Boris?
Nathan Bush: Yes, yes.
Natalie Wakeling: I love his podcast. So, like, they're kind of my three. Also, the styling advisory with Sarah Cohen, that's. She has really clever little interviews with stylists and gets their industry, like their. Their perception into the industry and where we can make improvements. So they're about my fourth. I'd say go and have a little look, little listen.
Nathan Bush: Amazing. And lastly, finish this sentence. The future of retail is extended sizes.
Natalie Wakeling: There you have it.
Nathan Bush: I hear you. I hear you. Well, thank you for that, Nat. Thank you so much.
Natalie Wakeling: Thank you.
[Voiceover]: To hear more from Natalie, jump back into episode 362, where Natalie shares surprising stats of plus size fashion, her trust policy with returns, and the journey she's taken to acquisition.
[Ad]: Thanks for listening. And until next time, keep adding to cartoon.
