The Evolution of the Ele Story jacket...

With the brand new release of our Fresh as Spring jackets, I am brought back in time to how the first Ele Story jacket came about, and how it evolved from my love of jackets, to now having a kids' line where I can have the creative freedom to combine unique designs with solid craftsmanship -- the two things that I care most about when it comes to garments.

So it all started back in 2006, upon graduating with my MFA from UCLA in costume design, by which time I had completed my first designed-from-scratch 1940's inspired wool coat.  This was taken from our Senior Showcase that year.  I think I chose to make a coat because growing up, my mother had the most beautiful coats and I think it made quite an impression on me.

Fast forward a couple of years, I left costume design to move up to the SF bay area and landed a job at Pixar, immediately after my mother passed away in 2007.  My job was great, but I felt like I was missing the creative and the sewing that I used to do all the time.  So, inspired by this pattern making class at UCLA, I decided to challenge myself with making one winter coat a year.  Which I did, and I still wear them to this day...I won't bore you with all the images, but this is the last coat I made, right before baby June was born.  I went all out on this one, using the best materials like this Anna Sui silk bird print, which was amazing to work with.  And hand trimmed with rosette and vintage buttons.  I even splurged on these brass looking sew-on snap buttons... 

Soon after, I found out baby June was coming, in June the following year.  So my mommy instincts kicked into high gear, and I decided to make her a cute jacket with a matching dress (not shown):

 
It was fun!  And so much faster to sew than the adult ones I was making for myself.  I still have this piece in her closet, b/c it's my favorite thing I have made for her.  Then, more came along, as friends started having babies...(June models the first yellow one)

So...the rest is history.  I started Ele Story in April 2013 with a simple jacket, like this one.  I wanted a little swing coat silhouette, a little flair, and also a little bow in the back, despite the cost of sewing this little bow by hand.  Ahhhh....: 0  The cost of perfectionism. hehe.

And all the other designs flowed out of this outpouring of love and passion for all things well-made and unique.  I hope you really get to feel the love in all the details that I have put in, and experience the amazing quality of materials I have hand-selected.  Thank you for reading and for supporting this little dream of mine.  

much love,
Judy & june-bug :)

Ele Story - Classic Children's Clothing Reimagined