Tanya Privé (left) & Laura Senra (right) of LePrivé
Meet the Moms and founders behind LePrivé, a women’s apparel brand that specializes in ultra-soft knit tops with stunning snap-on collars. These two entrepreneurs met in New York City a decade ago. When Tanya sold her tech business and started consulting, she went from meeting to meeting and needed to look polished. Then in 2019, she came up with the idea for snap-on collars and called Laura for her advice. Laura, a fashion veteran who worked as a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman and head of merchandising for Polo Ralph Lauren, encouraged Tanya to pursue the company. The two went into business together, and their newly launched collection helps women “achieve the perfect dress shirt look without all the layers.” Read more about these two moms, their families and find out more about their path to entrepreneurship.
Interested in trying the collection? Use code LEPRIVE15 for 15% off before May 1st, 2022. Follow them @leprivestyle.
How many children do you have and what are their ages?
Tanya: I have three girls, Mila (5), Liv (4) and Alya (4)—yep identical twins!
Laura: I have two girls, Livia (5) and Sofia (3)
What brought you and your family to Darien, Tanya? How long have you lived in New York City, Laura and what brought you there?
Tanya: It was totally serendipitous how we ended up in Darien. One weekend, friends living in Greenwich invited us to their place. We had a lovely weekend and they convinced us to speak with their real estate agent just to see what was available. We were open to exploring but never seriously thought we would move out of the city, having lived there for over a decade. Within two months we purchased a home in Darien. It truly was love at first sight. As we were touring different towns, we visited Weed Beach, and both my husband and I turned to each other and said, This is it. It’s Darien and we haven’t looked back.
Laura: I was born in NYC and returned to the city after graduating college. I met my husband Armando in NYC, and my parents also live here.
Tanya Privé lives in Darien with her husband and three girls.
What’s your favorite aspect about being part of the community in Darien and NYC?
Tanya: Darien for us is truly a magical place. While it has a small beach town feel, it’s far from being small minded. There’s an unprecedented level of sophistication and kindness that was completely unexpected. We didn’t know very much about Darien prior to moving here and were delighted most with the people, sense of community, beautiful surroundings and excellent education system.
Laura: While NYC is a huge city, we live in Tribeca and it has an intimate neighborhood feel. The girls go to school close by, and we’ve developed a wonderful circle of friends in the area, and we have a true sense of community. We love running into friends on the Pier, or at Saturday soccer matches. We are also a very active family, so we love the walking element of NYC—you can get everywhere on foot: museums, restaurants, school, playdates, etc.
New York City native, Laura Senra, lives in Tribeca with her husband and two girls.
What’s your favorite family activity?
Tanya: Turning the music on loud and dancing. All of us love it so much. No matter what state of mind we are all in, good music always lightens up our mood and brings forth playfulness. My husband loves to DJ and dance with his four girls!
Laura: Family dinnertime is our sacred tradition as a family. Since the girls were born, we have made an effort to eat dinner as a family every single night. It’s a special time for us to share stories about our day and connect with one another, and my husband and I look forward to this time daily.
Tell us about LePrivé, how you two met and your path to entrepreneurship?
Tanya: The idea of LePrivé was born in December 2019: After selling my tech business in 2018, I did management consulting for some years and was either on a plane headed to client meetings or on a Zoom call. As a working mom of three, I was working long hours and there was always pressure to look polished. I wore countless dress shirts with sweaters and hated it: the layers bunched and were so uncomfortable, and it was stressful to style each outfit every morning, and finally, the ironing was a true pain point for me! Then, as the pandemic accelerated and along with that the Zoom culture where only half your body was visible, my tolerance for discomfort and maintenance plummeted. I actively sought out ways to be stylish, comfortable, and save time. After extensive online research to build a wardrobe that would deliver on those objectives, I found myself at a loss. And that’s when it dawned on me—there’s a major gap in the market and possible business opportunities here. My first call was to Laura, who I thought would talk me out of pursuing this venture. But that didn’t happen…
Laura: Tanya and I have known each other for more than a decade (we are both married to men from Madrid and met in NYC). When Tanya called about the idea nearly 2 years ago, I was intrigued. I’ve been in the fashion industry for 15 years, as a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman and also head of merchandising for Polo Ralph Lauren. I’ve heard hundreds of sales pitches before, especially during my Bergdorf days, but something about this really made sense, as I could totally relate to the dilemma as a working NYC mom in the fashion industry. I loved the concept that the tops could be dressed up or dressed down, and knew Tanya was onto something. We hosted multiple focus groups and polled our networks, which validated our idea and further made us realize that so many women had a closet of clothes, didn’t know what pieces worked together, and had little/no time to solve the dilemma! That’s where the idea of a fully interchangeable collection came into play. We wanted to revolutionize how women get dressed. In a snap, by adding a collar, you upgrade and transform your look, while being ultra-comfortable.
Your tops and collars are all machine washable. This is key for so many of us. Can you share more about your materials and collar designs?
Tanya & Laura: The collection is designed to be modular and interchangeable, that’s the real innovation. You can wear the tops with/without a collar, and all the tops pair perfectly with all the collars. Stylish, easy and comfortable. A truly functional wardrobe that looks good and is 100% machine washable for us busy women.
We partner with incredibly talented factories in Peru. We chose Peru for two important reasons: 1) their renowned cotton-based textiles, and 2) our ability to conduct business in the local language (both of us are fluent in Spanish). We spent months researching the perfect fabric for our tops, and landed on a French Terry fabric that blends Peruvian cotton, modal, and spandex. Our tops are the most comfortable things we own in our closet: We love that we can wear them for work and also during down time, and they are so easy to care for. We named each top after our daughters, and our collars are named after NYC streets that have history and meaning to us.
Do you have any advice for other moms considering entrepreneurship?
Tanya: My philosophy is it’s better to try than wonder what if, or worse… have regrets. There’s something powerful about pursuing your passion in the face of fear and risk. It forces growth at a personal and professional level that can be incredibly rewarding.
Laura: It’s never too late to start, and don’t be afraid to try! I am always impressed with moms who are considering their “second act” after starting a family. It’s a big leap, but there is an incredible network of support amongst women.
Laura and Tanya show their collection at Darien Sport Shop.
What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from another mom?
Tanya: Barbara Corcoran once told me: What matters most as an entrepreneur is not how many times you get knocked down, but rather, how quickly you get back up while keeping the same level of passion and intensity.The entrepreneurial route is tough. You are constantly venturing out into uncharted territory and will unquestionably experience extreme challenges. You will get knocked down, just minimize the time you feel sorry for yourself, and get back in the game.
Laura: A wise friend told me that however you spend your day, do each activity with purpose and focus and do not get distracted. When I am working, I choose to be 100% focused on LePrivé, and when I am with my kids, my phone is off and I give them my undivided attention.
How do you unwind when you need some “me time?”
Tanya: Since moving to Darien, I have developed a love for tennis. It’s a highly social sport (which I love) and it’s a time for me to disconnect mentally. I always feel better after I play.
Laura: I am a marathon runner, and every morning at 5:30am I go out for a long run. This is my special meditative time: it allows me to stay in shape, organize my day mentally, sort through my thoughts, and challenge myself physically. I have better focus and higher energy levels all day thanks to running.
Any words of wisdom?
Tanya: One of my favorite quotes is from Anais Nin, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” It’s a nice reminder to keep expanding myself.
Anything to add? Feel free to add whatever you want the readers to know!
Tanya & Laura: As women, moms, and entrepreneurs, we needed a wardrobe that allowed us to go from mom life, to work, and then slip right into social activities without skipping a beat. That’s why we started LePrivé! The genius behind the collection is that all the tops and collars are interchangeable, allowing you to go from casual to dressed up in a snap!
We love supporting local businesses. Favorite places in Darien (or near town) to…
Have dinner: 1020 or Scena
Grab a drink: The Goose
Have a date night: L’Ostal
Spend time together as a family: Weed Beach
Shop: Darien Sport Shop
Spa/salon (or anywhere you go to treat yourself): Dolce Nails! They are just the best.
Grab coffee: Caffe Nero
For more information about Tanya, Laura and LePrivé, visit their website or follow them @leprivestyle.