Lesa Milan may be known mostly as one of the extravagant ladies featured on “The Real Housewives of Dubai,” but she’s also the brains behind Mina Ro, a high-end fashion brand focused on maternity wear.
The account Launched in 2016, it offers pregnant women a range of clothing options that make them look and feel beautiful, sensual and comfortable in their own skin.
Mina Ro came about when Milan realized she needed a more extensive maternity collection when she was pregnant herself at age 24.
“I started the brand because there was a hole in the market. There was no trendsetting maternity wear,” Milan told WWD. “I love that when Rihanna is with her bump, she’s sexy and sassy because that’s what Mina Ro has always been about – celebrating your pregnancy instead of hiding it. You can still twist that fashion and add your own personal style to your bump. I think that’s the hole we filled with Mina Ro.”
Experienced in fashion, Milan first designed things for herself and eventually one thing led to another and Mina Ro was born.
The name Mina Roe came to fruition when Milan played with baby girl names while pregnant with her second son, saying it would be a girl. The word “mina” is common in Dubai, it means “light” in Arabic. The last part of the name is the inspiration of the obstetrician of Milan, who, at the time, received a granddaughter named Monroe. She wanted a letter to fit the logo design, so she used “Roe” to complete it, with the “R” in the shape of a pregnant woman.
Milan recently expanded the Mina Ro collection into maternity wear so that women of all shapes, sizes and experiences can wear the brand regardless of their individual life stages.
“It was a bit of a challenge to go out into a different space because I had to work with other creatives,” she says. “We’ve taken the risk of introducing our brands from other designers, manufacturers. So far, it’s been overwhelmingly positive. I’m so glad we made the transition because it makes sense. You get pregnant, we do nursing, so how do we bring customers back from a business perspective? Saying it was the next thing after pregnancy is a no-brainer.”
On “The Real Housewives of Dubai,” viewers will learn about Milan’s fashion empire, including working with her husband Rich Hall and hosting her first fashion show for Mina Ro last fall.
She was initially asked to be a part of Dubai Fashion Week but the dates didn’t line up, so she decided to do it on her own, with the help of another housewife and former model, Chanel Aya, which she did successfully.
“It was very challenging,” Milan said. “I’ve never done a fashion show before, but it was great. Thank God I had Chanel Ayan. I booked all my models through her and they killed it. She was also very helpful behind the scenes. All in all, I think for our first show, I survived.
Eventually, Milan hopes to expand her brand into footwear and body care for pregnant women, comfortable styles and body butters and creams for stretch marks and more.
Now, with just a few more episodes left in the first season of “Dubai,” which airs Wednesday on Bravo, the fashion designer and former beauty pageant contestant reflected on her experience with the franchise so far, admitting to being a “fan” before joining The Real Housewives.
“I was a little nervous when I walked in,” she said. “My children are on the show with me, my husband, and I want to protect them at all costs. I was nervous, but so far so good. The fans are super fans and very invested and very supportive. It really exceeded my expectations.
When asked what to expect from the show’s conclusion, Milan didn’t reveal too many details.
“I feel like the audience didn’t see us having a lot of fun as a group of friends,” she said. “I think you guys are ready to have a lot of fun. Lots of laughs and some extra drama of course.
