Femtech fashion: the founder behind the breast leak leisurewear you didn’t know you needed

When mum-of-two Leigh Coggiola-Belza launched Leaxy she had one mission in mind: to change the way we talk, think and feel about boobs. She tells us the story behind her breast leak leisurewear brand and why femtech fashion is here to stay.

Can you tell us a bit more about your background?

Absolutely. I’d say, at the heart of everything, there are two things I’m drawn to. For one, I love connecting with other human beings. And two, I’m drawn to solving age-old problems with new ways of thinking.

Before launching Leaxy, I worked in sports and advertising, where I loved trying to figure out how to drive a deeper moment of connection and feeling for our consumers and fans.

Whether it was trying to fan the flames of passion during a game or spark a moment of intrigue with a clever idea in advertising, I loved trying to figure out how to make people feel more connected to the world around them.

I think that’s what made Leaxy’s conception so inevitable for me, as Leaxy is all about building human connection. My hope is that we make people feel less alone and more empowered to advocate for themselves and their needs in a world that can often times feel silenced when it comes to women’s unique health issues.

Leaxy is a community where people can feel free to come as they are – with leaky boobs, or not.

What inspired you to create Leaxy? 

Creating Leaxy was really pretty serendipitous in that I, myself, had really leaky boobs the entire time I was feeding my two little girls. Every night, I was laying in my milk-soaked tops covered in leaking breast milk, feeling absolutely miserable.

One day after 13 months, I woke up and thought, “This is absolute insanity. I can’t keep living like this.” And that’s what inspired me to create Leaxy – creating a viable solution for my own leaking boobs.

How would you describe your innovation in a few words?

Leaxy is breast leak leisurewear designed to absorb leaking breast milk. We design innovative garments for the age-old problem of leaking breasts.

Femtech fashion is quite a new concept. How did you find establishing your business in this sector? 

Femtech fashion is definitely a newer concept, and isn’t that crazy? Women’s unique health issues have been around for how long? And yet, here we are finally diving into fashionable garment design that focuses on women’s health.

Creating Leaxy in this sector has been a series of, “How did this not exist before?”

I’m constantly researching other femtech fashion brands, and I’m shocked at how these truly brilliant concepts had not been invented prior. It’s exciting to be a part of a sector that, no doubt, will continue to innovate and excite.

What obstacles have you encountered?

I think one of the biggest obstacles I’ve encountered is shifting the stigma on leaking breasts. Many people have felt silenced or ashamed to talk about this common issue because we live in a society where breasts can often be viewed as an object of sexual desire.

The reality is, the role of your boobs is up to your individual preferences. There are many roles your boobs can play, and choosing to view them as a source of nourishment for your child should be celebrated.

Many women have felt silenced or ashamed to talk about leaking breasts, says Leigh

Where are you with the business now?

We’re currently selling our Brooklyn leakproof nursing tank, that I’m obsessed with, through our website. We’re also working on a new, innovative design that I’m really excited about. It’s going to be bringing together the worlds of sexy, chic with leaky boobs.

What are your goals for the rest of the year?

I want to continue having important conversations about how we think, feel and talk about women’s bodies, specifically with leaking breasts and breastfeeding.

We’ll continue to visit a range of important topics through our Boob Blog. The other big goal is that I want to start gearing up to get into retail. Leaxy deserves to be on shelves where women who need extra support after having baby are.

Where do you see Leaxy in five years?

I envision Leaxy continuing to have conversations that shift how we view women’s bodies. We leak. Get over it. I also envision Leaxy becoming available throughout the world to help support more people with leaky boobs.

How about the concept of femtech fashion?

As more people continue to stand in their own power, the more we’ll see revolutionary innovations in femtech fashion be born. Femtech fashion is here to stay, and watch out for where it’s going to go.

I envision femtech fashion becoming a pillar in fashion, a mainstay that celebrates and nurtures the realities that half this world’s population face every day. I can’t wait to see it.