Lea Elui Ignites Nostalgia With Stunning 2016 Throwback Pics

Lea Elui has officially caught the “2016 is the new 2026” virus. The trend has been dominating social media, with users romanticizing 2016 as a simpler, happier, and more innocent time, compared to the current state of the world, especially the internet in 2026.

Due to this trend, old photos, vintage filters, and early social media moments are resurfacing. Elui hopped on it on January 17, sharing a carousel featuring old snaps that prove she’s always been that girl.

In the first slide, she posed outdoors by a brick wall in an Atlanta Falcons crop top paired with a black low-rise thong.

She carried a backpack, styled her hair in a messy updo, and finished with white Nike Air Force 1 Mid ‘07 sneakers. Clear-framed glasses added a nerdy vibe to the look.

Another image featured a bedroom shot, where Elui sat casually on the bed wearing a sleeveless black high-neck crop top and a black-and-white gingham miniskirt. She made a “cute” face with one hand cupping her jaw and pouting pink lips.

The following slide was another indoor shot of Elui wearing a yellow t-shirt turned into a crop top by the knot she made in front, paired with black bottoms.

Another swipe to the right revealed Elui in a red skimpy two-piece. The top was a cropped long-sleeve hoodie, coordinating with bum shorts. She posed sideways, emphasizing the inscription on the back of the shorts.

Other slides featured bikini pics, a selfie with the famous Snapchat dog filter, more crop top moments, and a mirror selfie with an iPhone 6s.

In the Instagram caption, Lea Elui wrote, “2016 era, I was 15 back then.”

A wave of nostalgia washed over fans upon seeing the post. Nearly 250,000 likes poured in, with hundreds of comments reminiscing about her early days online.

A fan wrote, “Dam-, I literally still remember you rocking that red outfit, it was indeed one of my fav.” A second fan added, “Such an icon! 2016 was truly your year!” Another chimed in with, “I remember these pictures, they are printed in my brain, you were such a vibe of 2016.”

A fourth fan commented, “I’m glad I got to grow up with you.” Someone else simply wrote, “Nostalgiaa.”

On January 4, Lea Elui turned 25 and marked the milestone with a soft, celebratory birthday post. First, she shared a short video blowing out a candle on a pink cake. Two days later, she posted the official birthday photoshoot captioned, “Another year bolder.”

Elui was wearing a pink corset crop top and a white low-rise mini skirt. Her hair was pinned by what appeared to be a claw clip, with loose tendrils on one side and glitter for extra shine.

The carousel featured a mirror selfie showing a silver iPhone 17, which is worlds apart from the iPhone 6s in her 2016 throwback.

Before the birthday posts, Lea Elui’s last post on her main grid was stunning vacation pics shared on December 14. The pics, captured at sunset, showed Elui descending a flight of stairs before pausing for quick snaps.

She wore a green two-piece featuring a crop top and low-rise midi skirt. Fans instantly fell in love with the magical pics, confessing love for the French influencer in the comments.