How Jela Lanier Turned Normal Culture Into A Miami Swim Week Mainstay

It’s the 10 year anniversary of Normal Culture at Miami Swim Week and founder Jela Lanier is taking a moment to reflect on a journey that began with just a few products and a vision for growth. “I started my brand in 2016, and I started off doing hats and T-shirts,” she tells ESSENCE. “The thing that pushed me into fashion was me being on Bad Girls Club. I needed a way to stay tapped in with my audience, and as they grow, I can grow.

That same philosophy has guided Normal Culture’s evolution over the past decade. Although Lanier studied international business and accounting rather than fashion design, creativity was always part of her story. Growing up in Atlanta, she was inspired by her aunt, a designer whose fearless approach to style left a lasting impression. “My aunt was always very fashion forward,” she recalled. “She would take things from the thrift store and distress them or remake them. Just seeing her create over and over again is really how it started for me.”

For Lanier, swimwear felt authentic to her lifestyle as a model and frequent traveler. In 2019, she taught herself how to sew in a decision that would ultimately transform the brand. “If I’m going to really say I’m a designer, I wanted it to be something that was second nature to who I already was,” she says. “Swimwear was something that just came naturally.”

Using scrap fabric and old bikinis, she created her first patterns by hand. However, shortly after moving to New York, the pandemic gave her unexpected time to refine her skills. Now, entering her fifth year at Miami Swim Week, Lanier is unveiling a collection she calls “Retro Riviera” inspired by Mediterranean destinations and vintage glamour. To commemorate the brand’s milestone anniversary, she designed the fabric herself and revisited fan-favorite silhouettes reminiscent of how far she’s come.

For the collection, she leaned into vibrant hues, intricate trim detailing, and a custom-designed Mediterranean print. Then, to enhance the collection’s nostalgic appeal, she incorporated bold yellow and crisp white outlines throughout the swimwear, creating a retro-inspired aesthetic that feels both playful and elevated. I wanted to come back out with designs that I know people absolutely fell in love with over the last 10 years,” she explained.

But, beyond the bikinis, Lanier remains committed to representation. As a former model, she understands firsthand how often Black women are overlooked in fashion spaces. I always tell them, give me as many Black models as possible,” she says. I feel like that’s my due diligence as a Black designer—to make sure I’m giving opportunities to as many Black models as possible.” That commitment was reflected on the runway, where she chose her friend and colleague Scotlynd Ryan to walk the show alongside her newborn daughter, Icelynn, creating a powerful moment that celebrated both Black motherhood and visibility in fashion.

Now, 10 years after launching Normal Culture, she’s still building with the same purpose that inspired her from the start. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years,” she says. “I’m excited, I’m happy, I’m blessed.” Looking 10 years into the future, she’s proving that authenticity, community, and confidence never go out of style.