9-5: From School Runs to Board Meetings, Varley Co-Founder Lara Mead Is the Her Own Best Muse

As the co-founder and chief creative officer of Varley—a brand that refined and repackaged activewear and athleisure as ready-to-wear with elegant mainstays for modern women on the move—Lara Mead embodies the ethos of her brand. She’s her own best customer—a busy Londoner whose wardrobe needs to work as hard as she does—to tackle school runs, gym sessions, board meetings, and the occasional dinner part. Spoiler alert: it involves a lot of Varley.

“Without a doubt, every day, I will be wearing a piece of Varley,” Lara says with a laugh. “I work out most days, so obviously, our more active-focused pieces are part of my daily life. But that’s not a conscious decision—it just happens!” That natural blend of practicality and polish is central to Lara’s personal style philosophy, which she sums up in one word: comfort.

“My personal approach to style is definitely comfort, which I know is not very fashionable,” she says. “But I cannot function if I’m not comfortable. For me, though, comfort doesn’t mean too laid-back or scruffy or slouchy—it’s comfort in quite an elevated, structured way. I’d also say it’s quite classic. I have a lot of white, black, and brown in my wardrobe—a lot of neutrals and basics—and I tend to style those up with the odd statement piece.”

That mix-and-match approach allows her wardrobe to rise to the demands of her hectic schedule. “I’m quite busy. Often, I leave the house and don’t come back all day. Whether it’s a school run, the gym, the office, meetings, or a dinner after work, my clothes have to work quite hard for me,” she explains. “I don’t love carrying bags of clothes around, so my wardrobe really needs to go from morning through to evening.” And for a woman who also spends a good chunk of her time living out of a suitcase, that translates into a highly refined capsule wardrobe. “I’ve gotten quite good at making a few pieces work really hard,” she adds.

Jewelry plays a starring role in her minimalist, multitasking aesthetic. “I’m obsessed with jewelry. I’ve been collecting it for quite a few years now, and even a tracksuit or a pair of leggings looks good when you’ve got some beautiful jewelry on. I’m also very quality-driven—I’d rather have less, but better.” It’s a credo that extends to her role at Varley, where she has led creative direction since founding the label with her husband, Ben Mead, in 2014.

“Well, we always say that Varley goes deep into women’s wardrobes. We’re that wardrobe for the modern woman on the move,” she explains. “Comfort is obviously important to me, so there’s a huge crossover between my personal style and the brand. Being COO, I’m lucky that I get to mold a brand that works for my lifestyle.”

It’s this synergy between her life and her work that makes Lara so compelling to watch—and, yes, to dress like. Her days may be packed to the brim, but she navigates it all with a wardrobe that blends practicality, elegance, and just enough flair to keep things interesting. Ready to see how she does it? Let’s dive into her week, one outfit at a time.

A Statement Knit for Travel Days

This is actually my favorite look. I would say this probably represents me the most on a day-to-day basis. I travel a lot, whether it’s to London or to America. I’m wearing our Varley double soft sweatpants with a slim cuff. I actually get them a size bigger because I like to have lots of room in them, and I like a slightly slouchy look. As for my shoes, they’re just old The Row black boots I’ve had for years now. I love them because they give me a little bit of height, but they’re still flat and very comfortable. My Etro cardigan was a bit of a splurge purchase—I’d say that was an investment piece. It’s unusual for me to have something printed or with so much color, but I loved it. I hope that it’s the kind of thing that maybe in 20 years, I’ll still have, and my daughter might like to wear it. (That’s how I sold it to myself!) My bag is also The Row—the Park bag, which is super soft and in a beautiful red color. I get my laptop in there and get all my travel bits in there, so it’s lovely to travel with.

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A Monochromatic Look for the Weekend

Regarding my weekends, I’ve got two kids, so often I’m standing at the sidelines watching football or going for a family lunch—so that means flat boots because I’m often running around. I obviously wear trainers when I’m working out, but I’m not really like trainer-with-a-trouser-girl—it just never feels quite me. So I’m either often in a loafer or a nice boot, and this Gucci boot was a nice in-between and it’s great for London because if it’s often raining. I love brown at the moment; it’s actually the color of the season. I’ve got my Varley cords on, which have quite a slim fit and a Varley ribbed high neck in a greenish color. It goes so well under a blazer or a cardigan because my arms are free—I don’t like the sensation of having lots of fabric layered on my arms. On top, I’m wearing a long-line cardigan that’s about to launch. I’ve belted it and I just think that elevated and finished the look off. My handbag is a Hermès because I’m all about classics and this was bought at an auction. It’s imperfectly perfect—it has scratches on it, and it’s got some stitching mix missing, but I kind of love that about it. I like things not to be too perfect.

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Denim Date Night Look

I need to tell you, I stole this look off of somebody—which is actually quite a funny story. I collect beautiful jackets and I love a black blazer. Then, Lisa [Aiken, Vogue’s executive fashion director] wore this to the Varley store, and I was obsessed with it. She said it was Bottega Veneta 2016 and that there was one on Reluxe, and I immediately bought it. I stole that whole look from her. My jeans are Wardrobe.NYC—I love a baggy jean. I’m a comfort girl. I’m not really into tight denim. For me, a skinny jean is just a big no; I can’t bear the sensation, never have. Underneath is a white T-shirt from Varley—Varley’s always sort of that underpinning of my wardrobe. The boots are Cos, they’re super comfy and very simple. I’m not a massive high-heeled girl, even on a night out. My clutch is actually from Etro. Date nights are usually early dinner after work—Ben and I work together, so often we’ll probably have been in the office together in Soho, and we’ll go to an early dinner or a quiet little bar.

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Bundled Up for a Morning Commute

Here I am in a Varley coat, Varley top, and Varley corduroy pants—they’re really soft and a bit stretchy; plus, they’ve got an elastic elasticated waistband. I’ve just tucked a T-shirt in them under that jacket. I get really cold and I hate being cold. London obviously rains a lot and it’s quite cold so having a nice puffy jacket keeps me warm when I’m on my commute. Those are Cos boots; they have a low heel but still feel quite smart and I can walk miles in them around London. And my bag—I love red at the moment, so just like a splash of red—sort of lifts the brown; otherwise, I’d just be head-to-toe brown.

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White Jeans in the Boardroom

So my jeans are The Row—again really baggy!—and actually my jacket is from The Row as well. My glasses are Celine—I wear contact lenses, but when I get tired, I have to put my glasses on. My watch is an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, a mini gold one. I love a white jean and I love monochrome looks as well, so white and black works really well for me. My jacket’s obviously smart, but mixing it with the denim makes it less of a head-to-toe suit. I think it’s important to be smart and well-presented.

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