In founding Raia Leela & Co, I wanted to combine my passion for designing clothes with helping the environment and supporting real people who play vital roles in the chain of creation. I also wanted to encourage consumers to take the time to understand the story that comes with each piece of clothing.

I started by collecting and curating textiles to repurpose. Recycling fabrics not only makes each piece unique, but it also reduces our carbon footprint and supports fairer and safer working conditions and wages. I then met my tailor Parvez Bhai. He is from a city called Surat, India: the same city where my family comes from, and he is my aunt’s tailor as well. Like many, he struggled during the height of the pandemic and didn’t have a lot of constant work. By taking on the job of sewing the garments for Raia Leela & Co, he is now steadily employed with fair and consistent pay in his own work environment. 

I wanted to create a business model that empowers the people involved with the work and puts them and the planet first, and Raia Leela & Co has allowed me to connect my Indian roots with my love for fashion and work with some amazing people and textiles.