Why Sizing Shouldn’t Define You: Lia on Breaking Fashion’s Rules

In this episode of Below Her Surface, Lily sits down with boutique owner and founder Lia to unpack how she’s reshaping fashion culture from the shop floor to social feeds. From launching her in-house label Sneaky Link to the wildly popular “same outfit, different size” videos, Lia shares how authenticity, size-inclusive design, and real community engagement built a 37-person business and what it really takes to grow without burning out. Together, Lily and Lia discuss: • Finding the voice: why Lia ditched glossy editorial shoots for organic, useful content women actually shop from and how that choice powered growth.
 • “Same outfit, different size”: the lockdown-born series that lets shoppers compare fits on a size 6 and size 12 body, demystifying inconsistent brand sizing.
 • Normalising the tag: embracing size 12–14 as typical, not “maxed out,” and expanding the label from 16 to size 20 so more women can wear what they love.
 • From two people to 37: building a team, opening an office and ops facility, and moving Lia off the shop floor into high-leverage work.
 • Community as strategy: open DMs, direct feedback loops, and the joy of making women feel confident. • Beating tall poppy syndrome: why sharing factories, numbers, and playbooks lifts everyone and how to build a circle of like-minded founders. • The next chapter: ahead of production and design, big creative plans for Sneaky Link, and a brighter, more inclusive future.
 • Fashion as fuel: dressing as a daily confidence practice - and kicking the stigma around “the number on the tag.”
 If you’ve ever wrestled with body image, fit frustration, or the pressure to “look the part,” this conversation will remind you what real confidence and community can build.