From cabin crew to CEO: Lyndsay Doran on launching luxury fitness brand L’Couture

L’Couture’s founder chats to us about the new location, lines and leggings.

When Lyndsay Doran came to the UAE, she was living the high life – she was working for Emirates as cabin crew and had swapped rainy Scotland for sunny Dubai. When she found a new love for fitness, however, she could never quite find the right clothes. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands and launched the activewear company, L’Couture.

L’Couture is a homegrown brand, which started life in 2019. It aims to create luxury athleisurewear, which fits all shapes and all workouts. So, whether you’re after shorts, sports bras or sweatpants, you can look stylish while you work up a sweat. 

Thanks to Lyndsay’s entrepreneurial spirit, she has opened L’Couture shops on Al Wasl Road, The Beach in JBR and now Mall of The Emirates. Ahead of the third store opening, which launches in September, just in time for the brand’s third birthday, she spoke to us about fitness, fabrics and female-run businesses. 

Tell us about your Dubai journey. 

I moved to Dubai from Dundee, Scotland in 2011 to join Emirates as cabin crew. I have now lived here for just over 11 years. I love the amount of opportunities that Dubai has to offer – it is an exciting, forever-evolving city. I love the winter weather here, too.

You went from working for Emirates to starting an athleisure brand. Why did you switch careers?

I spent five years travelling the world, which I absolutely loved but I knew it was time for a change. My fitness journey started when I married my husband, and we went on a fitness honeymoon to Thailand. My love for activewear began, however, when I felt there was a gap in the market for feminine activewear, which didn’t compromise on fit and performance. I was always ordering from overseas to try to find the perfect fit, and one day my husband commented that I should just start my own brand. The seed was planted and the rest is history.

L’Couture launched in 2019. What was the inspiration behind the brand? 

I was passionate about creating an active lifestyle and feminine aesthetic. I wanted to create wardrobe essentials for every woman that gave her confidence to conquer life. The fit of clothing has always been super important to me, and remains a key focus in our product development.

L’Couture is a homegrown brand. What does it mean for you to have created a brand in Dubai?

Dubai will always have a very special place in my heart. I will forever be grateful to the UAE and the opportunities it has given me. Dubai has the biggest shopping malls in the world and exposure to so many tourists – the potential for global exposure is huge in comparison to other cities and countries. If I launched this elsewhere, I am sure there would be different challenges and the journey would have looked different.

You wear L’Couture every day. What are your own personal favourite pieces?

It’s so hard to pick just one. I love our Black Elevate Touch leggings in Scrunch Bum and our Elevate Seamless collection. I also love our Elemental Lounge Romper from our lounge range.

What’s the most popular item at L’Couture for customers? 

Our Elevate Touch leggings in black, which is part of our core collection and an OG L’Couture style.

Your campaigns feature women of all sizes and your clothes go from XS to XL. Tell us why inclusivity is important for L’Couture.

It is really important for us to show a diverse range of models on our platforms. All women should feel represented and that’s exactly what we try to achieve. We often get such lovely feedback from our customers on this – it means so much to us.

What was the inspiration behind L’Couture’s latest collection?

Our latest drop is the SoCal Sorbet loungewear, which includes L’Couture Mini so mum’s can match with their little ones. The collection is inspired by the SoCal beach lifestyle, which oozes fun, nostalgia and optimism. We chose mood-boosting colours to brighten up your wardrobe. The terry fabric is super soft, and we’re all obsessed with it.

Recommend hero items from the new L’Couture collection.

I love all the colours in this collection, but I am really loving all things blue at the moment, so I would say the blue terry tee and shorts. It’s the perfect set to wear to the pool, beach, nipping to the mall or grabbing coffee with friends.

Why should we work up a sweat in L’Couture’s fabrics?

At L’Couture, we pride ourselves on our fit process, which is extensive and the most important part of the product development. Our dedication to fit and function since the beginning has meant that we have developed key blocks and patterns, which allow the best fit for all shapes and all workouts. Our fabrics are custom-made for L’Couture. We action in-depth fabric testing to ensure each item passes our stringent brand standards before we proceed. Our activewear is moisture wicking, quick dry and has four-way stretch – perfect for working up a sweat in.

What advice do you have for women looking to start their own business? 

Do your research and go for it. Don’t give up, we all make mistakes, but it will be worth it. It’s the most rewarding thing watching something you’ve put your passion, hard work and heart into grow.

GO: Visit https://lcouture.com for more information.