Proud Poppy owner Tara McKeon opens store in Toowoomba Grand Central to represent, empower all women

A popular fashion brand recognised for its inclusivity and ability to empower women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds has opened a new store in Toowoomba. Details here.

When Tara McKeon was on maternity leave after giving birth to her first child, she was a nurse who covered night shifts in the emergency ward and was facing with issues many women can relate to – identity struggles, body changes and low self-esteem.

As time went on, Ms McKeon found herself unable to find clothes that catered to different body shapes and sizes and began thinking about other women who faced similar challenges.

Proud Poppy owner Tara McKeon has opened her fourth store in Toowoomba.

“I was someone that had always loved fashion but as my weight had fluctuated for many reasons, I really felt like fashion didn’t love me anymore,” Ms McKeon said.

“As a new, anxious, breastfeeding mum, I was already struggling to leave the house but even when I managed to summon the courage to, there was nothing I could wear that made me feel good about myself.”

Passionate about empowering others, Ms McKeon launched her own business Proud Poppy in mid 2019 – a popular fashion brand which has expanded into a multimillion-dollar venture in just four years.

Catering to women of all shapes and sizes, the business currently stocks from size 6 and up to size 30, with plans to extend this to a size 32.

Artist Kasey Rainbow works exclusively with Proud Poppy to create unique and colourful designs for the fashion brand.

Working exclusively with artist Kasey Rainbow, who’s family live in Toowoomba, the brand is also recognised for its bright, colourful and unique clothing designs.

“I wanted to create a store that was inclusive of all women and represented all women – a store that we could all come together through our love of fashion and where bodies just be celebrated as bodies,” Ms McKeon said.

“Our brand gives women the confidence to show up and be unapologetically themselves which is such a powerful transition to watch – (from) shy little caterpillars who don’t want to take up space or be seen, to strong, empowered butterflies who live their best life each and every day.

“You will start to see the standout pieces out and about in Toowoomba – bring on the colour.”

Proud Poppy owner Tara McKeon has opened her fourth store in Toowoomba.

The new Proud Poppy shop which opened on September 13 at Grand Central Shopping Centre is the fourth to date, joining the Victoria stores in Doreen and Mentone, as well as Burleigh Heads, in Queensland.

Customers can find the store on level 2 of the shopping centre, between Lorna Jane and SkinKandy.

Ms McKeon said the decision to open a shop in Toowoomba was to ensure women from all regional and rural areas had access to flattering fashion to represent their identities, without needing to travel to the ‘big smoke’ or shop online.

With a growing following on social media, the brand currently has more than 143,000 followers on Instagram.