Ms. Mallory Welch is the owner of Maive & Bo. Her dedication and passion for quality and fashionable maternity wear has ensured her brands success in the Australian market. She believes that just because you are pregnant, it doesn’t mean you need to wear unfashionable clothes.
Q: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you ended up choosing the maternity fashion industry.
A: I’ve always harbored an obsession with fashion, particularly in discovering what styles suited different figures. When fell pregnant, I quickly realised how difficult it was to find maternity clothes that suited my style. I wanted more choice, on-trend styles and I didn’t want to pay too much (I was saving for the baby’s arrival and maternity leave).
Due to this, I can’t say I really enjoyed my pregnancies. I didn’t feel great about myself and I was sure I wasn’t the only person going through this.
By the end of the second pregnancy I decided to start Maive & Bo but I was very strict on its principals. It had to solve all the above problems – be affordable, stylish and make pregnant women feel good about themselves and embrace their pregnant figures.
Q: Why do you believe women love your clothes so much? What are the biggest reasons for your success?
A: Many of the feedback we receive is that the dresses are flattering for the pregnant figure. They’re feminine and generally make people feel like princesses – especially our baby shower dresses. One woman even told me she felt more beautiful than on her wedding day!
Q: How is your brand different to that of all the other maternity fashion businesses?
A: I think we just follow different rules. I look at a dress or style I’m designing and then think, how can this work for maternity and is there a nursing opportunity here? We’re first and foremost a maternity store but nursing accessibility is something that’s going to feature a lot more as we move forward.
Q: Do you have any regrets in terms of your business?
A: Not really. We’ve made some mistakes, okay a LOT of mistakes (!), but they’re all learning curves that I wouldn’t have otherwise had and I’m grateful for them.
Q: Where do you see your business in five years from now?
A: I want pregnant and nursing women to have the choice that they had before they reached motherhood. Maive & Bo to me is a vessel to help women embrace their changing bodies and enjoy ‘dressing the bump’ rather than hiding away for nine months.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who are looking to get their business up and running?
A: Stop talking about it and start doing it. It took me two pregnancies to finally get going. Also, try not to shut yourself off to people’s advice. Every bit of advice is valuable whether you use it or not.
Q: Have you faced many setbacks during your career? What were they?
A: The only setbacks I have are mentally when I might tell myself I’m not doing a good enough job or feel guilty if I don’t spend enough time on the business (I have a small family). I’ve leant to step back, take a break every now and then, maybe get some exercise and reset. I’m lucky to have a great team at Maive & Bo and family and friends who support me.
Maive & Bo helps women, no matter the stage of their pregnancy, feel both comfortable and fashionable – all at a price that won’t break the bank. If you would like to learn more about Maive & Bo and see the fabulous dresses and attire on offer you can do so here – www.maiveandbo.com.au.