Rene' Sweeney, creator of Lela Pearce Swimwear, was born and raised in Arizona, far from the beaches of Southern California where she now calls home. Growing up she was blessed to have a close relationship with her sassy and often outspoken grandmother (Nanny as she liked to be called) who lived nearby. Not only did Nanny have a pool but also a closet full of amazing clothes including a a fabulous collection of swimsuits. Little did Rene' know how much this special relationship with her grandmother would later impact her life. Rene' attended Arizona State university upon graduation from high school and earned her degree in Justice Studies with a minor in Psychology. One morning in early 2008 she recieved the terrible news that her grandmother had passed away. Devastated, Rene' struggled with how to cope with the loss of such an important person in her life. Uninspired with her job and wanting to pay tribute to her grandmother in some way, she made the decision to use her inheritance to go back to school. She moved to Los Angeles to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and graduated with a degree in Merchandise Product Development. Upon graduating from FIDM Rene' chose to begin work on her own swimwear line. In dedication to the woman who's inspiration, love and generosity enabled her to follow her dreams she named the line after her grandmother, calling it Lela Pearce Swimwear. Declaring both her mother and her grandmother as the two most influential people in inspiring her style, Rene' has a unique bohemian yet vintage look that comes through in her line. It's Rene's hope that Lela Pearce Swimwear is as fun, outspoken and inspiring as the woman it's named after.
