Having completed her doctoral training at Oxford and specialised in complex adolescent mental health, Louisa spent over a decade working in schools, hospitals and prisons before discovering the gentle, creative pass time of traditional soap making - a therapeutic antidote to the everyday. Cold process soap provides a unique platform for exploring palettes of scents, the potential of natural raw ingredients, and the care and attention it takes to create something truly beautiful.

Over the course of time a rustic soap studio on the edge of a sawmill manifests. We begin to pop up at festivals, local independent shops and markets, including the iconic London Spitalfields. Slowly but steadily, the studio establishes a small, faithful customer base and close relationships with suppliers.

Against the odds, and by word-of-mouth, La-Eva comes to nurture an aspirational selection of partners across the UK and Europe which continues to expand organically. We work with settings that celebrate natural beauty, foster a slower pace and deliver the purest of produce to their guests.

Louisa Canham, Founder & Creative Director

"My years as a Clinical Psychologist afforded me precious front line experience of the continuum of wellbeing. Many of the ideas that we explore and our products embody have come together alongside reflections and learnings from the past.

La-Eva has been sewn together with a spirit of joie de vivre and is about wellbeing in the every day. About small, pure pleasures. What we wash the day off and what we nurture our skin with - the delicate film between our external and internal worlds. About fragrances that open the doors to our emotions and memories through complex neural pathways. About self regulation and harmony across the layers. Base notes. Heart notes. Top notes.

Wellbeing thrives on balance and movement. On mind and body being able to pause and root to the ground. On feeling feelings, and connecting. On eagle views and experiences that transport us between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Somewhere within the loops of these ideas and intentions lies the core of what La-Eva has become."

Christine Michaelis, Senior Product Manager

Christine has worked for 15 years in the Beauty industry, first at L’Oréal in Paris in Marketing and International Product Development for Vichy and Lancôme and later as Brand Director for H2O+ in Chicago. She is a passionate advocate of ethical, respectful and mindful beauty. Christine now works on the development of the La-Eva product range alongside Louisa. 

Victor Rinaldi, Operations Manager

Victor spent many years in Asia working in the most exquisite, exclusive spa environments and brings his operational expertise to the daily running of La-Eva. Having previously held prestigious positions including as Director of Spa and Director of Experiences in a number of Amān properties including Amān Tokyo, and Amanpulo, Victor brings a wealth of insights and unique expertise to the experiential offerings of La-Eva and is passionate about the evolution of the wellness industry.

Katherine Maunder, Product Development & Sustainability Consultant

Katherine is a creative entrepreneur with over 20 years' experience as a Senior Fashion Designer and  multi-disciplinary advocate for ethical fashion. Katherine’s experience includes sourcing and developing commercial products across global sustainable supply chains with an emphasis on craft production and circular economies. Katherine has led on the creation of our first textile products, tapping into meaningful, collaborative partnerships across a network of indigenous Artisans in Nepal, Myanmar, and India that she has built and nurtured over many years with her brand Thread Tales. By supporting their ancestral craftsmanship traditions, we are collectively able to create precious, low-impact accessories in harmony with nature, inspired by the raw beauty of source materials.

Nina Carrington, Holistic Therapist and Ceremonialist

Nina is a holistic therapist, a Shamanic Cacao Ceremonialist and floral milliner. She holds healing space and offers heart-centred therapeutic experiences in her bohemian studio in West Oxfordshire, sewing together age-old wisdom, healing practices and beautiful sensorial rituals such as earth altar creation. Nina is involved in the creative La-Eva process, helping with planning and hosting immersive La-Eva events, photoshoots and styling.

Tara Donovan, Non-Executive Director

Tara is a lawyer by training. A former partner of London law firm Denton Hall, she joined client Jamie Oliver in 2003, initially as Head of Business Affairs and ultimately as CEO of his Media Group of Companies. Tara makes connections, shares experiences and nurtures the organic growth of La-Eva as a Non-Executive Director.