This week, Emirates Woman speaks to Angana Maheshwari, founder and CEO of Veganologie – a Dubai-based sustainable accessories brand that prioritises circular innovation and ethical consumerism.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
Here, Maheshwari shares her journey to entrepreneurship, one that was informed by a global upbringing, which fostered an early awareness of environmental inequity and eventually led to building a brand built on a foundation of transparency rather than just aesthetics.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Geography was my favourite subject, and looking back, it was really the beginning of everything.
It wasn’t just about maps and capitals; it opened my eyes to how interconnected our world truly is. I became fascinated by ecosystems, by the way people, animals, and environments depend on each other to thrive. It gave me my first real understanding of what sustainability actually means, not as a buzzword, but as a fundamental truth about how our planet functions.
I loved reading about different landscapes and cultures, and what struck me most was this recurring theme: when humans live in harmony with nature, everything flourishes. When we don’t, everything suffers. That insight never left me. In many ways, Veganologie is the grown-up expression of what that schoolgirl was trying to understand: “How do we bring people and nature closer together, in a way that actually lasts?”
What was your first job?
My first job was in media, and it taught me the power of a well-told story.
I discovered that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to shift perspectives and move people to action. That passion only deepened when I started my own platform, where I got to amplify real people’s voices and experiences.
Eventually, I realised I could bring both of my great loves together – my fascination with the planet from my geography days, and my belief in the power of narrative. Veganologie became the natural meeting point: a brand built not just on products, but on telling the story of why our relationship with the mindful consumerism and conscious fashion matters.
What inspired you to enter the space and launch your brand?
Veganologie was born from a personal frustration – and a gap I simply couldn’t ignore.
I was searching for a bag that ticked every box: well-priced, genuinely durable, made from sustainable alternative leather, and backed by a brand with real integrity, not just greenwashing. That bag didn’t exist in the UAE or the wider GCC. So, during the COVID period, I stopped searching and started building. By January 2022, Veganologie was live.
But beyond filling a market gap, the brand reflects a philosophy I’ve always lived by – that everyday life should be grounded in something natural. That belief is written into every design. Each piece carries elements drawn from nature, from leaf-shaped motifs to the monstera leaf that has become our signature. They’re not just aesthetic choices – they’re quiet reminders that nature is woven into every moment of our lives, whether we notice it or not.
At its heart, Veganologie exists to prove that conscious fashion and luxury are not opposing forces. That you don’t have to choose between beautiful and responsible. That accessible, conscious design is not only possible – it’s what the future looks like.
What are the key elements of your role?
As a founder, your job title is really just a placeholder – the actual role is everything. On any given day, I could be overseeing operations, driving sales strategy, reviewing designs, managing production, or deep in supply chain monitoring — ensuring every raw material we use is properly certified and audited. Sustainability isn’t just our brand story; it has to be verified at every step, and that accountability sits with me.
But beyond the functional, there’s the human side of leadership – team management, crisis navigation, and the kind of quick decision-making that entrepreneurship demands. You learn to put on many hats, often all before noon. What keeps it grounded, though, is the team. Sometimes the most important part of my role is simply showing up for the people who are building this alongside me – because when you’re creating something new and meaningful, the people around you are everything.
Talk us through your daily routine.
I’ve learned that how you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows.
Before I pick up my phone, I give myself 5 to 10 minutes of complete stillness. No screens, no notifications – just space to breathe and arrive in the day with intention. It sounds small, but it’s become non-negotiable for me.
By 8 am, I’m connected. Checking in with the team, picking up threads from the night before. I’m at my desk by 9 or 9:30, and I always carve out a few minutes to read the news. Staying informed about the world matters to me, both personally and as a founder building a brand with a bigger purpose.
From there, the day is a mix of internal and external meetings, visits to our retail spaces, marketing reviews and the ever-present inbox. It’s full, and it’s fast. But I protect my lunch break. Getting away from the screen, taking some steps, breathing – it genuinely makes me a better version of myself for the second half of the day. And I try to close my laptop by 8 pm. Winding down with family over dinner, being present, getting to bed by 10:30/11 pm. That’s not a luxury, that’s the foundation that makes everything else sustainable.
The work will always be there. You have to choose, every single day, to also be there — for yourself and for the people you love.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
My biggest piece of advice? Start before you’re ready. Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, once said something that genuinely changed my trajectory – that you shouldn’t wait for the perfect moment, the perfect idea, or the perfect plan. She was one of the voices that gave me the courage to launch Veganologie without waiting for everything to be flawless. And she was right. If you spend all your energy perfecting before you begin, you’ll never begin. Get to 60 or 70%, enough to be proud of, enough to be real and then put it out into the world. Because here’s what no business plan tells you: your community will finish the work for you. They’ll tell you exactly what they need, what they love, and what they want more of. That feedback is worth more than any amount of time spent perfecting in isolation.
What are the values and design pillars that define your brand?
At Veganologie, everything we create is guided by a clear set of values: timelessness, intentionality, responsibility, and innovation.
We don’t design for seasons. We design for longevity. In a world saturated by fast fashion, we made a conscious decision from day one to create pieces that remain relevant and timeless beyond a single trend cycle because true design isn’t just about trends or materials only, it’s about creating things worth keeping.
We do follow global movements in design, colour, and form, but always through our own filter. Every idea is evaluated against three questions: Can it be executed using our certified materials? Does it align with our aesthetic? Is it timeless? If it doesn’t pass that test, it doesn’t make the collection.
Our design language is rooted in the natural world. From the monstera leaf that defines our signature to the organic motifs woven into every piece. Aspects of nature aren’t just our inspiration; it’s our compass.
The result is a brand that is globally informed but distinctly its own – modern and meaningful, accessible yet stylish, and always made to last. We exist to prove that you don’t have to choose between beautiful design and a responsible footprint. At Veganologie, they are one and the same.
What are the hero styles?
Our hero styles all share one signature detail — the monstera motif, stitched into every piece as a quiet nod to our roots in nature.
First is the Maze, our crossbody bag and the ultimate everyday companion. The lifted leaf detail gives it a distinctive look, but its real appeal is pure versatility. No overthinking, no outfit it doesn’t work with. It’s the bag you reach for without a second thought.
Then there’s the Pebble, our fashion statement. With its asymmetrical silhouette and iconic flap, it has a sculptural quality that feels both bold and effortless. It transitions seamlessly from day to night, which is exactly the kind of design intelligence we build into everything we create.
And finally, the Gemma; quite simply, our gem. It resonated so deeply with our community that it grew into an entire collection, now available in four sizes: mini, crossbody, tote, and weekender. When your customers build a community around a single style, you listen and you give them more of what they love.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
The best advice I ever received was this: the moment you feel like giving up is usually the moment you are closest to your breakthrough.
It sounds simple, but in the hardest seasons of building Veganologie, I’ve come back to this again and again. Entrepreneurship has a way of testing you right before it rewards you, and if you don’t know that, you’ll walk away too soon.
The wisdom isn’t about pushing through blindly. It’s about learning to read resistance differently. When everything feels difficult, and progress feels invisible, that’s not a sign to stop, that’s the sign to stay steady and keep moving inch by inch toward where you’re going.
Because success rarely arrives all at once. It accumulates, quietly, in every small step you refused to give up on.
And what is the worst?
No advice is bad advice. Every piece of guidance someone shares comes from their own experience, their own journey. You may not resonate with it today, and you may never act on it and that’s completely fine. But receive it with grace, because you genuinely never know when a throwaway comment or a perspective you once dismissed quietly resurfaces and becomes exactly what you needed to hear. Gratitude for the wisdom others are willing to share is a practice in itself. It keeps you open, and in entrepreneurship, staying open is everything.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Building Veganologie’s foundation meant solving problems I had never encountered before, during one of the most uncertain periods the world has ever seen.
When I was developing our debut collection, I had to source authentic, genuinely audited manufacturers who could meet our sustainability standards. This wasn’t just a logistical challenge; it was the foundation of everything Veganologie stands for. And I had to do it entirely virtually, during Covid, with no prior experience in sourcing, production, or operations.
There was no roadmap. No industry contacts to call. Just research, persistence, and an unwillingness to compromise on the integrity of what we were building, because if the supply chain wasn’t right, nothing else would be either.
Looking back, it was the hardest part of the journey. But it was also the most formative. It taught me that you don’t need to have all the answers before you start, you just need the conviction to find them.
What are your goals for the future?
I hope that in the future, Veganologie achieves a multitude of goals that I envision for the brand. I see Veganologie becoming a leading reference point for ethical luxury both within the Middle East and on the global stage. Regionally, we intend to deepen our presence across the GCC by expanding our product range, increasing our retail footprint, and continuing to introduce designs that reflect the cultural identity and progressive spirit of the UAE. As the region accelerates its sustainability agenda, we aim to be one of the homegrown brands at the forefront, showcasing that the Middle East is not only a consumer of global fashion but also a creator of innovative, responsible design.
Globally, our goal is to position Veganologie as a pioneer in sustainable accessories with a design language that is distinctly ours: playful, fun, timeless, and meticulously engineered. We plan to expand into key international markets where conscious consumption is growing rapidly, while partnering with key retailers that share our vision of transparency and authenticity. We also foresee continuing to lead in material innovation, bringing new eco alternatives to the luxury space and raising expectations for what ethical fashion can achieve.
Looking ahead, integrating AI and cutting-edge technology will be essential to staying ahead of the curve. Whether through enhanced product development, smarter inventory management, or improved customer experiences, we see technology as a critical enabler that supports both sustainability and scalability.
Ultimately, Veganologie’s future is grounded in scaling responsibly. Growing our reach without compromising on quality, ethics, or the principles that define us. We want to inspire the global market by demonstrating that a brand built in Dubai can set new standards for sustainable luxury worldwide.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: emirateswoman.com
