About Us
Lila began with one prom dress.
When founder Maria Shum helped a young relative find a last-minute dress for prom, she didn't expect it would spark an idea.
Before reaching out to Maria, her young relative had experienced an overwhelming process of endless scrolling, dead-end recommendations, and styles that didn't match the teen's personality. With prom fast approaching, Maria was asked to step in. She curated a thoughtful selection that led to the perfect dress. As she heard more stories from parents and teens, she realized there was a deeper need: a smarter, more supportive way to shop for milestone moments.
That spark became Lila, an AI personal stylist built to help every woman to feel seen, understood, and celebrated. Whether it's weddings, prom, sweet sixteen, quinceanera, or any special event, Lila blends style, body positivity, and personality matching to make shopping less stressful—and a lot more fun.
Maria spent years building products at Meta and Adobe tools used by millions, but often designed for efficiency, not empathy. She created Lila to bring back the human side of discovery one where AI helps people feel more confident, expressive, and seen.
She didn’t set out to build a company she set out to solve a problem I couldn’t stop running into.
Every time she had an event a bachelorette party, a wedding, or even a fancy dinner she would find herself standing in front of my closet thinking:
“What was I thinking when I bought this dress?”
“Does this even work anymore?”
“Is this too casual? Too much?”
And then came the shopping spiral — 50 tabs open, nothing she actually liked, and the creeping dread of another return label.
Even with sites like Rent the Runway, figuring out sizing felt like decoding a foreign language. And as she got older, her body seemed to have a mind of its own what worked last year didn’t always work this year.
She realized what she really needed wasn’t just more options it was guidance. Someone (or something) that could help her figure out what feels like me now.
That’s where Lila came from. She’s the stylist Maria always wished for — one who listens, learns, and helps you find outfits that fit not just your body, but your vibe.
Our Mission
What Sets Us Apart
At Lila, our mission is simple but deeply personal to help girls and women find joy in how they see themselves.
We believe confidence doesn’t come from trends it comes from connection. From seeing yourself reflected back in a way that feels true, beautiful, and real.
Whether you’re dressing for a milestone moment or just rediscovering your style, Lila is here to help you feel seen, understood, and good in your own skin.