Written by: Mirta Kuštan Photos: Matea Smočić
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Even after fifteen years of running the famous domestic brand Lei Lou, Aleksandra Dojčinović continues to push the boundaries and expand her successful business empire. You would have to be living under a rock to not know about Lei Lou dresses and fashion accessories; but we are here to tell you the story of how the mastermind and masterhand behind the brand got her start in the industry, what she went through along the way and how she became the person she is today – a story Alex herself told us with a smile on her face and genuine passion in her voice, the kind of passion you only see in people who really know and love what they do.
Ever since she was a little girl, she was madly in love with fashion – not only in terms of having a personal style of clothing – she was certain that this was her career and life path. She recalls those moments with fondness, adding that relatives and friends called her Mala Žuža, after a prominent Croatian stylist and writer.
– That kiddo still lives inside me to this day: it’s very important to never neglect your inner child, your small and big dreams – says Alex, adding that everyone should be their own biggest supporter, especially at the beginning of their career, when one has to prove themselves and show just what they’ve got.
She started her career from scratch and invested plenty of time and energy into achieving success in her much-desired job. The word “difficulty” does not exist in her vocabulary; she is focused exclusively on her goals, and she works tirelessly to turn her dreams into reality. However, with her feet always on the ground, hard on herself and true to her principles, Alex does not consider her success an exceptional achievement. She does, however, believe that she is using her potential to the fullest, never going to bed feeling as if she had failed to do something.
She considers her biggest success to be her transition from a creative scatterbrain always running around to a disciplined, focused and observant woman who is able to gently manage herself, but also guide others.
Few people know that the Lei Lou company’s “baptism by fire” hotspot was the USA: it all started with the manufacturing and sale of uniforms and clothing for events. With the global crisis knocking at the door in 2008, Alex saw a window of opportunity for her brand in Croatia, and that’s how this successful entrepreneurial story actually began.
Fifteen years later, Aleksandra still prefers the intimate moments where she gets to work with her creative team:
– I’m surrounded by truly extraordinary women. My workplace is my happy place – she states.
She does sketches for her collections on the fly, and when asked where she draws her inspiration from, she does not hesitate to say that inspiration cannot be drawn, but must rather be innate. Her favourite pieces are the stretch basic dresses that she has been making for years, and she says that everything she creates is based on her personal style. She recounts many successful business endeavours in London, the USA, Germany… She even runs a successful branch in Stuttgart.
She highlights the beauty and importance of taking casual, spontaneous trips while one is young, claiming that it greatly contributes to self-confidence. Over the years, she has gained experience and proved what she can do, so she is no longer in need of that sort of adrenaline now:
– When you reach a certain age, your perception of success changes drastically and you learn to take pleasure in the little things more and more. My previous self would consider any achievement of mine to be monumental. To be honest, that’s only natural when you’re young, however I must admit I’ve always been quite realistic and grateful for everything.
Now, when she is over forty, she prefers to stay at home. After the earthquake, she returned to her apartment in the centre of Zagreb in the spirit of encouraging others not to lose heart and to do the same in favour of progress, without looking back or making excuses based on things that cannot be controlled.
Her fashion store encompasses 850 square meters in the heart of the city (Ilica 15), and Lei Lo got two new sister companies – Optica La Vie and Le Concept. Optica has been in business for a little over a year now, and Aleksandra’s desire is to provide her clients with unique, handpicked collections, almost tailor-made for each one of them: after all, they are all women with refined taste and developed style. Every ambitious woman who follows trends and cherishes the classics will be able to highlight her best features with glasses, but also add an extra chic touch to her outfits. Thanks to Alex, she can do it without fear of seeing other women wearing the same glasses.
Le Concept, on the other hand, is a wedding oasis where every bride-to-be will get the chance to choose a designer wedding dress at its real selling price in a pleasant atmosphere, with the assistance of stylists and other qualified staff. Aleksandra and her team of professionals have accumulated experience for years on end and Le Concept is a perfect upgrade to what they have provided their clientele with through Lei Lou for years. Although some will argue that this whole venture is too much for this market, Alex disagrees:
– Zagreb needed a place like this; not only Zagreb, but also the regional market in general. That kind of personalised service you get in the most beautiful upscale stores in the world, where you get to choose your dream dress and all the accessories while sipping on espresso, sparkling wine, or water, aided by the helping hands of friendly and trained staff who are all yours during your appointment. At long last, I have everything I’ve always dreamed of offering to my clients in one place, right in the heart of Zagreb – Aleksandra tells us.
And we would be foolish not to agree with her. A wide range of world-class brands such as Vera Wang, Blumarine, Alberto Palatchi and Dovita Milano and the possibility to pick out jewellery, shoes, and all other fashion accessories, as well as flowers and gifts, in an extremely relaxed environment, makes Le Concept the most desirable one-stop shop for weddings preparations.
Finally, we asked her what advice she would give to young and up-and-coming designers:
– Create your own world because I, for one, have never observed what others were doing or sought their validation. Good advice is always welcome; however, too much advice can lead to confusion – and a person should first map out their path, set realistic expectations, know when to celebrate achievements and when to confess defeat. And that’s it. When you’re building your life and your business career, it’s important to keep your eyes on the prize – then it all falls into place very quickly. But if you keep looking back and watching what others are doing, it slows you down; you fall behind and lose focus –Aleksandra Dojčinović concludes.
