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The Family
WOTC catches up with the extraordinary Vania Leles, founder of VANLELES Diamonds, her global fine jewellery house, which was headquartered in the heart of Mayfair London, in her very first interview after having baby number three.
Words Stacey Soluade
Vania Leles can only be described as revolutionary in her journey to create the world’s first female-founded African fine jewellery brand VanLeles Diamonds - a brand conceived from Leles’s vision and desire to share the beauty of Africa’s precious gemstones and skilfully translate them into breathtaking jewellery. Announced as one of the finalists for the 2020 UK Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot for her sustained growth in a male-dominated industry, her unwavering commitment to the ethical sourcing of gemstones has cemented Leles’s position as an innovative female entrepreneur.
Speaking to the former model, businesswoman and mother of three - she had just added baby number three to the family in April and was already back to work and raring to go, she revealed that her initial interest [in jewellery] was sparked during a photoshoot in New York. ’I was so intrigued by all the atelier jewellery brands I was modelling as the pieces were so beautiful. I never knew there could even be a career in diamonds and gold for someone like me, so when one of the producers explained that the majority of these gems came from Africa, I instantly wanted to find out more.
After some initial research revealed, at the time, that there was almost zero representation of the continent with no African-owned Haute-joaillerie designers, Leles, who hails from Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, showed a fearless drive to challenge generations of tradition in the industry. 'I was sure I would find more Africans or people who looked like me in the industry but was so shocked when I found there was literally no one, and that had to change.'
Graduating from the Gemological Institute of America to being headhunted to work at Graff Diamonds, a family run business on London’s Bond Street, followed by a successful period at renowned auction house Sotheby’s and De Beers where she created bespoke jewellery and sourced million-pound investment-purpose diamonds meant Leles gained valuable hands-on experience, both within the business and direct with clients. This led to her first investment deal that kick-started her own brand with a previous contact borrowing her 12 stones worth approximately £1.1m entirely on trust. ‘I was able to build strong client relationships in my previous roles and in an industry where reputation is everything; this helped me immensely to gain investors. One said, ‘in 10-12 months if you don’t sell, then just bring my diamonds or money back.’ We had no lawyer, no contract; it was all built on the importance of trust.’
Leles shows her true character in business by building client relationships to the level that someone would entrust her with over a million pounds worth of capital before her brand had even got off the ground. She explains, ‘it was about your character and reputation. You have to work hard and build a good track record, which is what I did for over 10 years before starting my own business. But that was great, and it allowed me to gain trusted investors and really push my brand forward while ensuring that where possible, I can source stones from Africa and produce the jewellery fairly.’
And with over 70-80% of merchandise exported from Africa alone for the luxury jewellery industry, the forward-thinking creative director ensures the foundations of her company stay focused on paying homage to the country the materials originate from. ‘I was adamant that the most important thing for me to do is to try to bring some heritage to the brand, to the collections, to honour the country the gemstones derive from and to bring the voice of Africa to fine jewellery.’ She does this with tenacity and creativity through intricate designs, infused with some of the world’s finest gemstones and exquisite diamonds, all of which are ethically traded and then thoughtfully made in Italy.
Currently living in Lisbon, married to her husband Christian, with their two sons Balthazar and Constantin, and having just welcomed their newborn baby girl, Isabella, into the family as well as running a global business, it seems Leles isn’t planning on slowing down any time soon. So how does the jewellery founder balance home and work life? ‘My husband is very supportive of me having my career and interests outside of family life, that’s an important factor for anyone running their own business, and we have the resources that allow for a full-time nanny, which is a tremendous help. I have to be extremely organised to plan my day because as women, we always try to do everything, but I prioritise, and I’m learning to delegate more too.’
Focused on climbing the career ladder from the age of 24, when she set her sights on building a business that could change the industry meant that family came later in life. She now credits her incredible work ethic in helping to find that all-important balance whilst maintaining a realistic approach, something many ambitious women can identify with. ‘I cannot have it all. I know that. I chose to have my children later because I knew I wanted to establish a career first, which would take hard work and dedication. I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything, having had the privilege to establish my own career before having my first child at the age of 38 means I’m more forgiving of myself now. I don't feel bad for messing things up, I don't have to apologise if I don’t have time to see a girlfriend or if I have to leave a meeting early, because you know what? I really want to go home to be with my kids. I don't think I had the courage to be like that back when I was in my twenties, so it’s worked for me. We all need to choose what’s right for us as individuals.’
The talented and visionary designer has lived, worked and studied in a number of countries contributing to a wealth of experiences she felt she otherwise wouldn’t have had. 'Coming from no resources, no family connections and being a woman in a male-dominated industry, I was able to live in places where I had some great opportunities. I really do believe you are rewarded for your hard work, and you should just go after your dreams, whatever they may be.’ Having the determination necessary to accomplish those dreams and transform the jewellery field means she has now built a business on trust with a network that benefits everyone involved. ‘I use rubies from Mozambique, aquamarines and tourmalines from Mozambique and diamonds from Botswana and Namibia’, says Leles. By having an unrelenting desire to do this in the most ethical way possible, she can ensure through her personal relationships with all of the mines she works with that they take their corporate social responsibility seriously and give back to their local communities. ‘Diamonds can change the lives of more than just the wearer if sourced ethically and we’re committed to ensuring that all diamonds are 100% conflict-free.’
As the global pandemic has affected us all over the last year, Leles says she has been ‘reminded of the power of togetherness and community, and the instinctive need to support and care for the most vulnerable' and her plans are to continue to push for positive change. ‘We are trying to slowly go back to normal life but in a way that is better than what it was pre-lockdown.’ Having had to pause some of her business plans due to Covid 19 things are picking up again for Vanleles ‘we are now planning our collection launch which we had to cancel last year in light of the pandemic. We’re just slowly reengaging with the world and the business side, we’re reconnecting with clients and friends which I feel blessed in being able to do during these times. I think once you have children and once you go through those lockdowns, you see the impact goes beyond business though, it has an effect on mental health, for the kids, as a family, as individuals, and as a community. Yes, we want to go back to normal, but a better normal than before!’
Above all, Leles’s vision to optimise a gap for an African led jewellery brand in today’s market through her tenacious female leadership and enterprising spirit has seen her accomplish a transformation in her industry. She’s ensured the representation of Africa in fine jewellery as well as paving the way for the younger generation with a new era of mindful luxury, and we can’t wait to see what this amazing businesswoman achieves next.