Real Women - Lavanya Aneja

Created on January 17, 2024 Updated on March 12, 2024Author: Zariin Jewelry 1 min read

There is a shift in the Fashion paradigm in India. We still have a long way to go but there’s been a start and it’s for the better - fat tax, size inclusivity, diversity and fits are issues gaining more ground than ever. And one of the key contributors to identify the gap in the market and address it too is Lavanya Aneja - Founder and CEO of Lea Clothing Co. and our real women muse. Read her story and musings for what brought Lea Clothing to life and what brings her JOY.

lavanya aneja in zariin

Lavanya is seen here in Back to Nature Choker Necklace

The Conception of Lea Clothing Co.
We started Lea in January 2021. It was a COVID baby. A different kind of COVID baby to what other people were doing. I had moved back from LA after doing my undergrad and working there for 5 years. I really struggled to find quality, homegrown boutique brands doing fashion that was unique, that could be pieces that I wanted to add to my wardrobe that compliment my personal style and weren’t just your run of the mill Zaras or H&Ms. One time I remember searing online “Shop for Corsets Online India” and there was literally nothing there. That’s when I saw a really big gap in the market especially when it came to occasion wear that made for Indian women’s bodies. So it wasn’t just a copy paste design from European styling to a completely different body type. That’s when Lea was born. The three foundational brand pillars on which lea has always worked is size inclusivity, body positivity and sustainability. We were one of the first truly size inclusive brands in the country with our entire catalogue available from XS all the way to 5XL.

Lavanya finishes her look with Zariin's modern Navratna jewelry - Shakti

lavanya aneja in jewelry by zariin

Lavanya in Back to Nature Bracelet and Nature's Art Statement Ring

What Drives Me
I think it’s about to be almost three years of Lea and that’s just so unbelievable for me to contemplate. One part of the journey which makes me keep going and keep coming back and wanting more is just sheer joy that you can feel from the impact you can have on the customers and the people who are really subscribing to the brand, the ideals and the clothing that we are manufacturing. I still have this album where I have screenshots of our replies and some really amazing messages that we have gotten from our customers talking about how they never felt that they could wear something like the dresses we make and feel really truly beautiful because of how they were brought up. How they were told that they needed to be a certain size to wear it. I myself have heard this a lot and have had my share of body image issues and struggles. So to receive those kind of messages from young women who are avoiding that trap and are seeing the representation in mainstream media and realising that my curves are beautiful and I should wear whatever it is that I want, that I feel beautiful and comfortable in. That’s something that on the daily basis brings me and my team a lot of joy to see the positive impact that we have with our work.

Lavanya finishes her festive look with mirror polki jewelry - Sheeshmahal

What brings me joy…..everyday
I think one daily thing that brings me so much joy is my pet. I adopted him. We were fostering him during pandemic and it was a foster fail because we literally didn’t want him to leave our house. He came to my life right before I launched Lea and he actually has a designation in the company. He’s a part of it as our Chief Cuteness Officer. On his first birthday, which was also our first year of operations and because there is so much of me in the company, we actually hosted a sale for our Chief Cuteness Officer’s birthday. It was amazing to see the kind of response we got from our customers. We have lots of photos of pooch making little cameo in the early days, I did a lot of self shot content. Our Chief Cuteness Officer is definitely one of our biggest good luck charms.

Lavanya is seen here in Chaand ka Tukda Maang Teeka and Resham Baalis

Lavanya in Maang Teeka

My Relationship with Delhi
I am born and brought up in Delhi. I did have a gorgeous 5 year stint in LA. But I came back and the whole idea was to start my own business as that was something I always wanted. I’ve always had a complicated relationship with Delhi. It’s always like a love-hate. But one thing that I absolutely can’t deny that I love about the city is the Diwali season and the wedding season. We have just entered the stage where so many of my friends are also getting engaged, getting married….and I think, that is one of the most exciting times. Those three days especially if it a destination wedding…time ceases to exist and now it’s even more exciting for me because of our sister labels Saanjh by Lea. It is a modern take on traditional ethnic wear, giving a mix and match approach to ethnic wear for the younger generation to experiment with and really make it their own. It gets me really excited. I think I have three weddings coming up and I have all my outfits planned from Saanjh. It really gets you in the zone and there’s nothing better than the wedding season in Delhi. You can’t beat it.