Shikha Layla, Entrepreneur And Awarded Lifestyle Influencer, Believes You Should 'Be Your Own Trend'

What started as a candid, relatable Facebook weight loss journey in 2013, developed into a bigger social media platform where Layla started sharing her life as a fashion designer, a young mother of two and an entrepreneur in the middle eastern setting.

Layla’s @beinglayla_a unique aesthetic quickly set her apart as a trendsetter in the middle east. A pioneer in the fashion and beauty industry, her signature graphic eyeliner looks are a great example of how the content creator has been introducing new styles in the region. She also gained notoriety online for her bold, urban fashion design collections – statement pieces that were, too, ahead of their time in the GCC. 

In the short space of just three years after starting her online platform “@beinglayla_a ”, the entrepreneur made it to the Top 3 “Fashion influencer of the year” at the Grazia Qatar Style awards. Later in 2019, she was distinguished as Oman’s Top lifestyle influencer, a title awarded by Forbes Middle East. 

Today, her network joins over half a million followers and counting. Beauty, fashion and all-things lifestyle are still the major focus. Early 2000s makeup styles meet current trends, and a whole look inspired by a notorious Netflix show (any Bridgerton fans here?) are some of her most recent viral content. As a brand ambassador, her successful partnerships range from clothing shops, skincare brands, shopping centers, nail salons and even online coding school, home furnishing and food delivery services.

But Layla’s platform is not just about business; it’s also about female empowerment and creating a safe community for other women that feel like they don’t belong in a traditional, societal box. 

Middle east born and raised, the entrepreneur has seen and experienced firsthand how the sometimes gender-biased society can restrain women’s lives. And instead of letting that stop her, she decided to embrace and showcase the positive aspects of her lifestyle, while proposing something that urges change: realistic expectations for what fashion, beauty and lifestyle should be like for any woman. 

Like herself, Sikha Layla wants all women to be able to truly express themselves as they are, not as they’re expected to be under their societal norms or birthplace. Keeping that in mind, her content focuses on motivational story times, attainable makeovers, and humorous social commentary (make sure to check out her delightfully funny “Aunty Lulwa” Instagram reels, where Layla plays a satirical traditional mixed middle eastern “aunty” whose beliefs aren’t doing women’s rights any favors). 

For the fashion design graduate, true success boils down to personal growth, which is why it has always been so important for Shikha Layla to share with her followers a genuine side of her. And that’s how her beloved #beyourowntrend came to life. 

As someone who always stays true to herself, Shikha Layla wants to motivate and empower other women to be the best version of themselves and to leave their particular, unique mark in the world. The lifestyle blogger believes that being your own icon and inspiration is key to a happier life and the first step to success. After all, owning up to being different in her setting and staying true to her unique style – colorful, graphic eyes and bold urban fashion- was how Layla took social media by storm in the first place. 

Advocating for self-love, equality and kindness, Shikha Layla is a positive role model for females in the Middle east, but her values resonate with women all around the globe. That is why Shikha Layla’s inspiring, creative and down-to-earth content has recently earned her the titles of "Women Leader Entrepreneurship" under the Millennial leader category, as well as “Diversity and Inclusiveness”, granted by the Women Icon Awards. For her much-recognized love for creating unity between people instead of priding in division.

As she keeps expanding her platform, Shikha Layla remains committed to educating the middle eastern community on self-love, equality and realistic expectations, at the same time as she keeps us entertained with humor, flawless eyeliner and great fashion. But if you only take one thing from her platform, let this be it: “be your own trend”, because you are more than enough. There shouldn’t be any limitations to your potential.