WELCOME TO
LENA LULA
A Brand of Concepts designed to empowerWomen and Girls, while creating a “Network of Empowerment” between us.
The Lena Lula Brand
Our brand celebrates the empowerment of Women by utilizing empowering phrases and various forms of expression. Phrases become concepts, and concepts become expressive designs created by professional artists exclusively for the Lena Lula brand. Each design is tagged with “by Lena Lula” to show its authenticity and distinction. The anime/pinup-inspired graphic designs are then transferred onto quality, luxury items that are for sale on our website. Our goal is to celebrate and inspire Women while encouraging them to do the same for others, thereby, creating a distinct “Network of Empowerment” between us as the designs are worn and displayed.
As Women, we understand the personal and societal challenges we seek to overcome in every aspect of our lives. The plight of most Women even dictates that, no matter what we go through, we must continue to push through. Although we are empathetic to Womens’ challenges, our brand places greater emphasis on the strength Women need and use to overcome them. We choose to celebrate the brilliance of Women, as well as what they accomplish in spite of…
Women work hard in spite of…
Women love hard in spite of…
Women get the job done in spite of…
and WOMEN ARE BADASS BECAUSE OF…
The names Lena and Lula are derived from my sassy, spunky, 89-year-old Mom (Lena) and the Woman who unselfishly raised her (Lula). Lula was the daughter of a slave, successful sharecropper, and a Woman of grace and courage who lived to be 106 years old. As you can see, I chose some heavy hitters as namesakes and inspiration for the brand. And so, for as much as the Lena Lula brand seeks to inspire and empower Women, it also intends to pay homage to these two beautiful, brave and powerful Women. They are the founding members of my “network of empowerment,” and of the “network” I intend to create with our brand.
OUR COLLECTION
INFO & UPDATES
Please allow 5-10 days for delivery of ordered items.
All items are quality-control inspected before shipping. Products will not be shipped if they don’t meet quality specifications.
Be on the lookout for new products added!
Lena Lula thanks you, very much, for your support!
ABOUT LENA…
Lena is my bad-ass, 88-year-old mom who still prides herself in being able to effortlessly bend down and touch her toes, ride her stationary bike for 1.5 hours and out-walk all of her much younger walking buddies. Yeah - she’s “that” chic! Even her doctors say they want to be like her when they reach her age. The problem is - if you wanna call it a problem - she believes she can do ANYTHING she wants to do - which is probably why I’m taking her to PT right now! We’ll chat about that later but, in the meantime, please know that we will be representing one of the baddest chics on the planet!
ABOUT LULA…
Lula James is the woman who raised my mother and her siblings. She and her husband Buddy were both born in the late 1800s and later became sharecroppers. Despite the fact that, as sharecroppers, they did not own the land they worked, they became pretty successful. Aunt Lu (as we called her) and her husband Buddy were never able to have any biological children after suffering several miscarriages. However, they opened their hearts and their home to my mom and her 3 siblings after her parents’ divorce and inability to properly care for them. Because of Aunt Lu and Buddy, my mom, aunt and uncles were given the best life possible!
By the time I came to remember Aunt Lu, what I remember is this: she was very old and walked bent over in a 45 degree angle (possibly due to osteoporosis but I’ve never known the true cause). Aunt Lu would babysit my cousin and I during summer breaks and, despite her limitations, she still managed to make her bed and cook a meal EVERYDAY. I would sit and watch her bend over the sink and stove as she prepared her meals while cleaning along the way - hunched over! What I remember most is how I felt about her as I watched her do her thing each day. I NEVER saw a woman who was incapacitated, who was hindered by what some may consider a disability. I saw a beautiful, regal woman of strength and courage. I saw those things in her because that’s who she truly was, and I was blessed and proud to be able to say that a part of her lived within me.
Oh - I forgot to mention that Aunt Lu made her bed, cleaned and cooked a meal each day until just before she passed away at the age of 106 years old!
ABOUT LENA…
Lena was born August 2, 1933, and is a proud Leo! She grew up on a sharecropper’s farm in Mississippi. Lena and her siblings were raised by two AWESOME family members, who took them in after their parents’ divorce. They were taught values of hard work, faith and family. During this time in the 1930s & 40s, it was necessary for families to be able to work their land in order to earn a living. As a result, Lena chose to quit school in order to help her aging family with the farm. She doesn’t regret helping her family; but has always stated that not finishing school was her biggest regret. Years ago, Lena said to me that she “believes she could have been somebody had she finished school.” I told her that her years of wisdom means just as much, and that she IS somebody regardless of that; however, I could tell she wasn’t sold my statement. At that moment, I vowed, one day, to help her reconcile this feeling. Recently, I reminded Lena of this conversation after she asked me why I named the Company for her. She cries every time she asks me why I did this. I told her I named the Company for her because she is my personal hero! But then I cried when she asked me “does this mean I’m gonna be somebody now?”
So, my answer to Lena/Momma is this…if it takes this spotlight to make you feel like somebody, I intend to shine your light on the world! She has lived through 89 years of everything life has thrown at her - GRACEFULLY, HONORABLY, HUMBLY, and deserves all the shine she wants. I intend to give my Momma her flowers while she’s still here - while I still can. Everyone, please help me shine her bright light on the world, while representing the baddest chic on the planet!
ABOUT LULA…
Lula James is the woman who raised my mother and her siblings. She and her husband Buddy were both born in the late 1800s, and later became sharecroppers. Despite the fact that as sharecroppers they did not own the land they worked, they became pretty successful. Aunt Lu (as we called her) and her husband, Buddy, were never able to have any biological children after suffering several miscarriages. However, they opened their hearts and their home to my mom and her 3 siblings after their parents’ divorce and inability to properly care for them. They did so while they, themselves, were recovering from the effects of The Great Depression at the time - which was an even heavier responsibility for a Black couple who were direct descendants of slaves. Yet, because of Aunt Lu and “Cousin” Buddy, my mom, aunt and uncles were given the best life possible!
While growing up, what I remember most about Aunt Lu is that she was very old and walked bent over in a 45-degree angle, although I’ve never known the true cause. Aunt Lu would babysit my cousin and I during summer breaks and, despite her limitations, she still managed to make her bed, clean her room and cook a meal EVERYDAY. I watched her bend over the stove and sink to cook cabbage and cornbread every week just because my sister Beverly enjoyed it so much. She loved making people happy. But what I remember most is how I felt about Aunt Lu as I watched her do her thing each day. I NEVER saw a woman who was incapacitated, who was hindered by whatever her affliction may have been. I saw a beautiful, regal woman of strength and courage. I saw those things in her because that’s who she truly was, and I felt blessed and proud to be able to say that a part of her lived within me. And, as you proudly and boldly display her brand, her beauty, strength and courage will live within you as well. I would also like you to know that Aunt Lu made her bed, cleaned and cooked a meal each day until just before she passed away at the age of 106 years old!
Aunt Lu - thank you for selflessly raising my Mom to be the Woman she is today. I want you to know I made our Company’s logo in the image of you and Momma, as you will see Lena standing bold and strong just as you’ve raised her to be, with Lula underneath holding Lena. You are wearing gold - as you should - to represent your regality. I want you to know that - despite not having biological children to carry on your legacy - I will do everything I can to ensure your name lives on. For all you’ve experienced in this life, and for all you have contributed to it, you deserve this honor. I know you’re here with Us because I feel you. And, although, I may need a little help from you from time-to-time, I promise to do all I can to represent you and Our brand!
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ABOUT LENA…
Lena is my bad-ass, 88 year old mom who still prides herself in being able to effortlessly bend down and touch her toes, ride her stationary bike for 1.5 hours and out-walk all of her walking buddies. Yeah - she’s “that” chic! The few times she visits her doctors (notice I said “few”), they are always in AWE of her abilities at her age. Problem is - if you wanna call it a problem - she’s 88 and believes she can do ANYTHING she wants to do. We’ll chat about that later but, in the meantime, please know that we will be representing one of the baddest chics on the planet!
ABOUT LULA…
Lula James is the woman who raised my mother and her siblings. She and her husband Buddy were both born in the late 1800s and later became sharecroppers. Despite the fact that, as sharecroppers, they did not own the land they worked, they became pretty successful. Aunt Lu (as we called her) and her husband Buddy were never able to have any biological children after suffering several miscarriages. However, they opened their hearts and their home to my mom and her 3 siblings after her parents’ divorce and inability to properly care for them. Because of Aunt Lu and Buddy, my mom, aunt and uncles were given the best life possible!
By the time I came to remember Aunt Lu, what I remember is this: she was very old and walked bent over in a 45 degree angle (possibly due to osteoporosis but I’ve never known the true cause). Aunt Lu would babysit my cousin and I during summer breaks and, despite her limitations, she still managed to make her bed and cook a meal EVERYDAY. I would sit and watch her bend over the sink and stove as she prepared her meals while cleaning along the way - hunched over! What I remember most is how I felt about her as I watched her do her thing each day. I NEVER saw a woman who was incapacitated, who was hindered by what some may consider a disability. I saw a beautiful, regal woman of strength and courage. I saw those things in her because that’s who she truly was, and I was blessed and proud to be able to say that a part of her lived within me.
Oh - I forgot to mention that Aunt Lu made her bed, cleaned and cooked a meal each day until just before she passed away at the age of 106 years old! Yuuuup!