Natalie Wakeling, Co-Founder of Curve Rapport
(Photography: Steven Chee, Stylist: Charlotte Stokes, MUA: Julia Green)

Here at Flaunter, we are a lover of many things – but as a female founded company ourselves, we hold an incredibly special spot for celebrating trailblazing women. The ones who take their own experiences (and those of others) and use them to reshape industries and rewrite the rules. I mean, it is girls who run the world (and you really can’t argue with Beyonce).

One such trailblazer is Natalie Wakeling, co-founder of Curve Rapport – Australia's first multimedia marketplace and magazine dedicated exclusively to women size 12+. From becoming Australia’s first curve models to breaking into mainstream magazines, to building one of the country’s earliest curve fashion labels, Natalie has spent her career championing visibility, representation, and change. With Curve Rapport she’s setting out to rewrite the rules of high fashion, positioning curve fashion with the same prestige and aspiration that has typically been reserved for straight-size fashion.

In this interview, we sat down with Natalie to talk about her journey, the mission behind Curve Rapport, and how she’s building a platform designed to empower, celebrate and inspire women everywhere.

You’re the founder of Curve Rapport, Australia’s first multimedia marketplace and magazine dedicated to size 12+. Before we dive into the magazine itself, could you share a bit about your journey and your motivations for creating the brand?

I was Australia’s first curve model to break into mainstream magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Women’s Weekly, and more, at a time when size diversity simply wasn’t acknowledged. I went on to sign with Ford Models in New York and Elite in Miami, and by 23, I was navigating the international scene with my husband and our two-year-old son. I witnessed firsthand the global appetite for curve fashion and the glaring absence of it in Australia.

When I returned home, I founded Embody Women in 2006 - one of Australia’s first curve fashion labels and grew it successfully until selling it in 2023. My career has always been fuelled by one thing: frustration at how women are represented, or more accurately, underrepresented in media. Curve Rapport is my answer to that.

Could you introduce Curve Rapport to our audience and share what makes it unique in the fashion and media landscape?

Curve Rapport is the first luxury fashion and lifestyle publication in Australia dedicated exclusively to women size 12+. What sets us apart is our editorial point of view - we treat plus-size fashion with the same aspirational lens that mainstream media has reserved for straight sizes. It’s about more than clothes; it’s about self-expression, storytelling, and women seeing themselves reflected in a way that’s aspirational, glamorous, and powerful.

Photography: Steven Chee, Stylist: Charlotte Stokes, MUA: Julia Green

How did you come up with the name “Curve Rapport,” and what does it represent in terms of your mission and brand identity?

I wanted a name that felt both fashion-forward and inclusive. “Rapport” speaks to connection, community, and conversation values at the heart of our platform. Pairing it with “Curve” makes our mission unmistakable: this is a space built unapologetically for women who have been excluded from the high-fashion narrative for far too long.

Starting a new magazine is no small feat. Did you face any doubts or scepticism in the early stages, and how did you push through them?

I’ve learned over the past two decades in business that anything worthwhile requires resilience. When I first pitched Curve Rapport, industry leaders agreed there was a gap in the market, the real challenge was finding the right partner. Meeting my co-founder, Vasiliki Bruzzano, was serendipitous. From our very first conversation, it was clear we shared a vision and had the tenacity to make it a reality.

Were there any people, magazines, or brands (locally or internationally) that inspired the way you approached creating Curve Rapport?

I’ve always admired the unapologetic creativity of Vogue Italia and the timeless sophistication of Harper’s Bazaar. However, my goal wasn’t to replicate it, but to reimagine it. Curve Rapport is about taking that high-fashion editorial quality and centering women size 12+. Many American curve publications have leaned commercial; I wanted to push further, to deliver something aspirational, artistic, and uncompromising. Our creative team works with leading designers and image makers to position curve fashion exactly where it belongs: at the forefront of culture.

You had a launch party back in June - we’re sure there were many “pinch me” moments, but what stands out as the most memorable or surprising moment from that day?

Seeing Australia’s leading curve models, creatives, and brands gathered in one room felt historic. The energy was electric - there was this palpable sense that we were no longer working in silos but as a collective. The industry support was loud, proud, and deeply affirming of our mission.

Representation is such an important part of fashion - what does authentic representation mean to you, and how does Curve Rapport celebrate and champion it?

Authentic representation goes beyond token gestures. It’s not about putting a curve model on one campaign or one runway for optics. It’s about consistent visibility across every platform advertising, e-commerce, editorials, social media. At Curve Rapport, we normalise diversity by making it the rule, not the exception.

In your experience, what do you think brands often get wrong when it comes to representing women, and how can they do better?

Too often, brands treat size diversity as an afterthought, or a side note rather than a central story. They will offer extended sizes but showcase them inconsistently or ignore diversity of age and body type altogether. The solution is simple: reflect your customer. Use varied models across campaigns. Show women that they are seen in their entirety, not just as a marketing checkbox.

What do you hope Curve Rapport becomes for the industry and its audience, especially in terms of opportunities or representation that weren’t there before?

My vision is for Curve Rapport to be the global destination for curvy fashion and culture. A platform where brands, models, designers, and creatives are celebrated and amplified. We’re not just telling stories, we’re building an ecosystem that drives opportunity, visibility, and economic impact. For women, it’s about having a one-stop destination where they can access fashion, beauty, wellness, and community all curated through an aspirational lens. For the industry, it’s about finally recognising that size diversity is not niche; it is the future.

Can you walk us through the creative process behind curating content and selecting brands for the magazine and marketplace?

Each issue starts with a theme, drawn from international trend forecasting and the cultural moment. From there, we scout brands both established and independent that align with that vision. We are intentional with every detail: the models, the stylists, the locations, the storytelling. It is about creating editorials that feel cinematic, directional, and timeless. Our marketplace follows the same philosophy: it’s curated, elevated, and designed to connect women with brands they might never otherwise discover.

Where do you see Curve Rapport heading in the next few years? Can you share any exciting projects or collaborations on the horizon?

Curve Rapport is not just a magazine; it’s a movement. Over the next few years, we’ll cement ourselves as the leading voice in curve fashion across the Asia-Pacific and, ultimately, on an international stage. We’re building partnerships with major luxury houses as well as independent designers who are pushing boundaries in inclusivity. There are capsule collections, industry-first collaborations, and global expansion plans already in motion. My vision is clear: Curve Rapport will stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s most respected fashion publications and redefine what aspirational fashion looks like for women size 12 and above.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a publication — or any business — that challenges industry norms and aims to make a real impact?

First, be prepared to be uncomfortable, disruption never comes with applause at the beginning. You’ll face scepticism, gatekeeping, and plenty of polite “no’s.” But if your vision is strong, stay relentlessly focused. Build a brand around values, not trends. Surround yourself with people who not only see the vision but can execute it with creativity and grit. And above all: don’t water it down to make others comfortable. True change only happens when you’re brave enough to hold the line.

Links:

Flaunter Profile | Natalie Wakeling

Website | https://curverapport.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/curverapport/

Media Spotlight: Natalie, Co-Founder of Curve Rapport