Young entrepreneur Leila Rana Quraishi was born in New York City and spent her high school years in Southern California. A recent graduate of The University of Southern California, Leila has launched an innovative concept in women’s fashion: Nudesox, a line of stylish socks designed to combine comfort, style, and social impact. Leila first envisioned Nudesox in 2015 and spent the following two years developing the brand. With a lifelong passion for fashion, she firmly believes that style should never come at the expense of comfort — and if you ever meet her, you’ll see that a pair of Nudesox is always on her feet.
As women, we often create businesses that solve problems we’ve personally experienced. With Nudesox, you tackled both inclusivity and fashion. How do you think women-led businesses are uniquely positioned to identify and disrupt overlooked gaps in the market?
I think women-led businesses are able to pinpoint real issues women face on a daily basis. Many brands that were catered to women were created by men, so there are a lot of experiences that women have that may have been overlooked or not properly understood. The best products and brands are solving problems people deal with, and in order to solve it well, you have to really understand it firsthand.
Building a brand that celebrates diversity while also driving sales is no small feat. How have you balanced purpose-driven messaging with the commercial realities of scaling a consumer brand?
I think our purpose is infused in our products in a way that makes it authentic and relatable. Nudesox was the first athleisure sock brand in skin tones, so people were naturally drawn to the brand and curious about it. The socks resonated with women who wanted to look presentable, while still being comfortable. Oftentimes, women are faced with deciding between the two – I wanted to make sure we can be both.
Many female founders face the pressure of “wearing all the hats” in the early stages. Looking back, what practical systems or mindset shifts helped you transition from being a solo founder to building a brand that can grow beyond you?
I started Nudesox when I was a senior in High School, so I juggled the brand with school throughout college and learned how to execute in a timely manner. Sustainable growth really has to do with recognizing patterns and seeing where you fall short. I’ve learned to allocate where I can and to spend more time on my strengths. Starting the brand as a solo founder taught me a range of skills. I think it’s important to have a good understanding of each aspect of the business before hiring others to do it. This ensures that you’ve made the right hires and that they are able to execute on the shared vision.
The conversation around representation in fashion is still evolving. What advice would you give to women entrepreneurs who want to infuse social change into their business models without it feeling like tokenism or trend-chasing?
If you really believe in what you are doing and it has a clear purpose, it will show. If social change is central to your brand, it will come through in your products and brand story. I would say to also
have a personal connection to your brand – that’s the only true way it will be authentic.
You started your entrepreneurial journey very young. For women listening who may feel they “missed the window” or that they’re starting too late, what have you learned about the right timing in business — and how much does age really matter when it comes to impact
I think there are always pros and cons no matter the path we choose and when we choose it. There is no one way of doing anything – that makes it hard to figure out, but also easy in knowing that there are so many ways to get to your desired destination. There is no right timing either. At the end of the day, you have to do what you feel most comfortable doing since you’ll be steering the ship.
