The style problem Robyn Lawley was sick of, so she fixed it herself.

Find me one person who actually enjoys shopping for swimwear. They’re a rare breed, that’s for sure, and Robyn Lawley definitely wasn’t one of them.

Flashback six years ago and a trip to the beach was so problematic that Lawley often resorted to wearing her actual underwear. Why? Finding swimwear that fitted and actually looked half-decent for her size 14 to 16 body (the Australian average size, FYI) was near impossible.

Sick of feeling like she was alone in facing this problem, Lawley decided to take action, founding her own line of swimwear, Robyn Lawley Swimwear that caters for women sizes 10 to 22.

Watch: Aussie singer Christine Anu talks about the importance of positive body image. Post continues after video.

Four successful seasons later, yesterday Lawley took to Instagram to share why it was such an important decision.

“I love taking a swimsuit wherever I go, I love that I have this option. Six plus years ago before I started @robynlawleyswimwear I had zero options really, apart from unflattering and ill-fitting tankinis and bikinis, I mainly lived in my sports suits or actual underwear,” she wrote.

Love taking a swimsuit wherever I go, I love that I have this option: 6+ years ago before I started @robynlawleyswimwear I had zero options really, apart from unflattering and ill fitting takinis and bikinis, I mainly lived in my sport suits or actual underwear. I recently found old sketches of when I was 18 trying to sketch designs I wanted to get hand made. I thought just I was living this problem, I didn’t realize so many women were as well. When I started to model at the size I am still today, I met a whole array of different sized women with so many having issues with fit, especially in swimwear. Fast forward, now entering our 4th season and 5th year I’m so proud of this brand, my team and to just finally having choice and not being boxed out by industries broken standards on size and what’s important to make or not. Shot courtesy of @travelandleisure #robynlawleyswimwear #designerswimwear

A photo posted by Robyn Lawley (@robynlawley) on May 25, 2016 at 10:49am PDT

It wasn’t until she started her modelling career that she realised she was far from alone in her swimwear struggle.

“I thought just I was living this problem, I didn’t realise so many women were as well. When I started to model at the size I am still today, I met a whole array of different sized women with so many having issues with fit, especially in swimwear,” she continued.

“Fast forward, now entering our fourth season and fifth year I’m so proud of this brand, my team and to just finally having choice and not being boxed out by industries broken standards on size and what’s important to make or not.” (Post continues after gallery.)

Fellow Sports Illustrated covergirl (and the first “plus size” model to do so) Ashley Graham has also recently released her own Bond-inspired collection of swimwear with Swimsuitsforall.

Lawley has frequently spoken out about the industry’s controversial attitude to “plus-size” models and its impact on her career.

“I think the size issue has always been the most challenging just from the start. Like not being small enough and now not being plus enough. It’s not enough of a statement. I get that just as much as I get that I’m just too big. It’s another thing to just not be enough of,” she recently told Vogue.

The only way I can handle this job and the not being enough stuff is by doing as many interesting things and trying to be enough in that respect. It’s the only way to handle it, taking it with a grain of salt and seeing the bigger picture.”

Fortunately, while slow, progress is finally being made – and it’s all thanks to women like Lawley leading the charge.

Image: Getty

Do you struggle buying good swimwear?