Startup Story
Finding stunningly beautiful clothes to wear for any occasion in Angola, whether formal or casual wear, has never been easier, thanks to the creative design talent of Ana Lloyd Vasconcelos. Her fashion company and brand, AnaLoyd Lda, is bringing a touch of glamour to all her customers who want to look and feel beautiful in her clothing.
LoA spoke to this talented design entrepreneur this month in Luanda to find out more.
What does your company do?
AnaLoyd is my Fashion Company. I am a fashion designer known for specializing in corsettes, so when my business AnaLoyd first launched, we started with our line of specially designed corsettes. I am in love with, and inspired by, 18th Century fashion. Nowadays in our business, we do everything that has to do with clothes. But as a brand, AnaLoyd´s passion is still corsettes. We originally started out in business producing clothes to order, but now we have a store with ready to wear casual clothes.
Our our clothes are proudly ‘Made in Angola’, designed by me, and using our own specially designed prints. Our plans are to reopen our store in December 2019 with a new look. We are going to have our casual line (YaWaba = beautiful), and we are also going to have a corsette/evening gown line that is ready to wear - the AnaLoyd limited edition. We also hope to launch our beachwear line too.
“Our our clothes are proudly ‘Made in Angola’, designed by me, and using our own specially designed prints.”
What inspired you to start your company?
I normally say that I was born with a needle and thread. I grew up with my grandmother who was a seamstress in her young days, and she used to make our clothes. Growing up, I liked to play around her while she was making them. I grew up in a monarchy led country, Sweden, and I used to see my grandmother get dressed up to all events wearing ball gowns, so I fell in love with these beautiful creations. As a result, I prepared myself to be an artist, a fashion expert. I did all courses that I could find to learn more about clothing production, drawing, textile production...so basically I grew up preparing myself to work with clothes.
I started out on my own, personal fashion design journey by working with an Angolan fashion designer, Elizabeth Santos. She taught me the practice of being a fashion designer. Interestingly, people tell me that I am a first and foremost a business woman, but I don’t agree. Before anything I am an artist - that is what I do.
What makes your business, service or product special?
As I said in the previous question, I am not a business woman intrinsically. I don’t do fashion because I want to be famous, or because I want to get rich. I do fashion because I am in love with what I do, because when I am designing I put my heart and soul into each line of the drawing. And I would never design or create something that I wouldn’t myself wear.
“I normally say that I was born with a needle and thread. I grew up with my grandmother who was a seamstress in her young days, and she used to make our clothes.”
Tell us a little about your team
AnaLoyd wouldn’t be where it is today without every single person in my team. For me, the AnaLoyd team is not only the people who are on AnaLoyd’s payroll, but everyone around me, starting with my family who have been supporting my dream since the first day the idea of AnaLoyd came about. AnaLoyds workers are special because they have learned how to work with me. My assistant knew nothing about fashion and cloth making when she first started, yet now she is the one who tells me if things are good our not. The seam team (as I call them) are men that I respect, not only because they know their work but because they where willing to learn more with someone who is younger than them, not only in age but also in professional years.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
When I opened AnaLoyd, I was considered the black sheep of the family. No-one in my family was an entrepreneur, and every one had fixed jobs. It has been a roller coaster sometimes, and I love being the founder of AnaLoyd, yet sometimes I also wish I had never launched it. I have fallen and risen so many times, I have lost count. But ultimately, I love what I do, and I know how to do it, so I am still here.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
My future plans are to expand nationally and into international markets. To continue to do what I love, and having a fashion design school incorporated into the brand. The aim is to grow.
“AnaLoyd wouldn’t be where it is today without every single person in my team.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I work with what I mostly love, with art. And the good part is that I get paid to do what I love.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Be sure you have the know-how of what you are starting, so that you don’t have to depend on anyone else to achieve your goal.
Contact or follow
FACEBOOK | EMAIL analoydesign@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
The fashion design and manufacturing industry is a tough one for any designer, and finding your niche and standing out from the crowd is always tough to achieve. But for Ana Loyd Vasconcelos, she has done just that. Her design ethos and style are uniquely hers, and she creates clothing that makes her clients feel beautiful and stylish, no matter what the occasion. This is definitely a design talent to watch over the coming months and years as she takes her brand to new markets. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa