Thank you dear daughter for making me feel comfortable on the beach and everywhere!

Forward by Sophia, RAQ Director & Founder

As a busty teen with a FF cup bust, my mum taught me to feel confident in my body. At 26 I decided to start a swim brand to help people who wear D cup + feel confident and supported. After 5 years in business, I finally asked my mum to model for me! She’s a natural and l’m so proud to have her as the face of my brand 🍒

Debbie's story

I started growing boobs when I was 10 years old. I felt very uncomfortable since none of my friends were growing them. Bras were itchy as ever, and I couldn't find fun bikinis or clothes, like everyone else in my age group. Boob tubes and triangle tops were the fashion, but clearly out of my reach. My mother also had big boobs and she encouraged me to embrace them, but it was still really hard. 

As a teenager, I was always the one that was sitting at the beach crouched over, or covered up in photos. Hiding them and feeling so self conscious. My friends affectionately called me “viziara” which in Greek means someone with big breasts. 

My daughters Sophia and Nina also inherited the same endowments from me, so I was the perfect support for them as teenagers when they cried in the bra fitting rooms at our local department store, Myer. Frankly I thought they looked amazing in everything, but I totally understood their frustration when it came to finding fun swimwear, bras and clothing. 

There was a time when Sophia begged me as a 16 year old to allow her to have a breast reduction. I did some reverse psychology and said, "yes sweetie, when you're 18 you can”. At 18 she changed her mind. Had she wanted to, I would have supported her. 

Fast forward a few years later to when Sophia was 24. We were sitting on the beach in Ithaca, Greece, the island where my mother was born. She was still  feeling frustrated by the swimwear offerings for bigger busts and clearly not happy with the bikini she was wearing. She said “Mum, why don't I try make a swimwear range for the above DD people like us?” She had a wonderful friend in the industry who encouraged and mentored her to start RAQ. 

RAQ has made so many people's lives happy, including me and some of my friends. We have waited far too long girls. Thank you dear daughter for making me feel comfortable on the beach and everywhere!

You can follow Debbie on instagram @debbie_blooms