Kristen Clark We got a chance to learn a little more about the designer Elon Kebede of ELU by Elon after her most recent collection was shown at Omaha Fashion Week. We asked her to tell us about how she got started as a designer and what made her want to pursue this career path:
“My mother used to make our clothes growing up, and I remember watching her and helping her at times. I fell in love with designing and sewing, however being a first generation Ethiopian-American, any degree in the arts was out of the question. Typically one would choose between becoming a doctor/nurse or an engineer.
I started my college career studying to become a doctor myself, however I found that I was not happy. I switched majors after a year to marketing… only to realize that also didn’t fulfill me… So finally I prayed, bit the bullet and went to study Fashion Design at The University of North Texas (Denton). And instantly my passion and drive for fashion oozed out. “
Elon said she doesn’t really feel like she has an aesthetic, and explained why:
“Personally, aesthetics only recently came about the last 10-15 years. I never fit in. I was that kid that had “scene” clothes (cringe), and the very next day dressed sporty, then the day after might wear heels. I’ve tried so very hard to stay in one area, but I feel as if no one is really just one thing, our experiences allow us to love a plethora of things. So, I design whatever makes me happy and feel alive. I will say I enjoy creating gowns more than anything else.”
As far as her inspiration for her latest collection, she was inspired by the Japanese flower making technique, Sombana.
“I wanted to learn how to make realistic flowers and the process of painting them. It’s often times used in Japan, however, more recently I’ve noticed Russians taking a liking to these techniques!”
Creativity takes form in many different ways for different designers, and we were also interested to hear what her process looks like when it comes to bringing her ideas to life. :
“My creative process is something I thoroughly enjoy doing. I find photos of the subject of matter. For this collection I researched different flowers. Upon finding my inspiration photos, I try to find a few common themes about these photos. Shapes, colors, layers, and so on. I then find a playlist that I want my audience to feel when seeing my collection. Once I find my playlist, I then start to sketch while listening to that specific playlist. When I’m looking at inspiration photos and listening to the songs, I tend to try and put emotion to my designs. I know, sounds kinda funny, but I always design to the playlist that conveys a specific emotion.”
We asked her about her experience being involved in Omaha Fashion week, and like other designers she had an immensely positive experience:
“Truly, I REALLY enjoyed OFW. From communication, all the way down to model selections, everything has been so smooth and easy. By far my best experience to date.”
We hear this same sentiment from designers and models any time we ask. Omaha Fashion Week is a place where designers have the chance to grow and learn in an environment that is designed to help them succeed. Whether that means winning an award, or just getting the chance to have their designs seen on a runway, and being able to network with others in the industry. There are a multitude of benefits to designers who participate.
She gave valuable advice for future designers to live by, saying:
1.) “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. It may sound crazy, and scary, but that’s how you know you’re doing the right thing.
I still get nervous during shows, interviews, meeting models and such, but that’s just confirmation that I’m going the right path. “
2.) [One thing] “I always do, is make sure there’s a purpose. I love designing, however my heart will always love others. My designs are to clothe and feed children around the world. My biggest desire and calling is to open schools in Ethiopia, and other developing countries. I will always stand by those who don’t have much. I will continue to fight for the widows and orphans. They are my calling they are my heart. Designing gowns just helps fund that work. “
3.) “Pray, I am a Christian, and I make sure what I do aligns with who I’ve been called to be in Christ. I make sure every collection, every garment honors God. If not for God, I wouldn’t be here. I believe He is the one that gave me this gift, and I want to make sure I follow Him with it. “
