|
Elizabeth Allen has always
had a thing for fabric. She amassed piles of it as a girl
in Manchester, Massachusetts where she scandalized her classmates
by wearing her own red satin creation to the prom. After graduating
from Vassar with a degree in French literature, she ventured
forth to Paris in search of folly and fashion. She landed
the enviable job of Bureau Fashion Editor for WWD and W Magazine
where the intimate exposure to out-of-this-world fabrics,
mind-boggling design and extravagant designers was utterly
fabulous. She jumped to the other side of the runway to work
with Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel where the Haute Couture obsession
for detail, quality and unfettered creativity matched her
own. Back in NYC, Elizabeth Allen followed hemlines and heels as a fashion editor at New York Magazine and then as a stylist while the stacks of fabrics in her apartment climbed toward the ceiling. Looking to justify her flea market jaunts and fabric binges, she took to her sewing machine and walked into the retailer ABC Carpet & Home with a suitcase of pillows and walked out with an order. The teeny fifth floor walkup apartment was soon draped ceiling to floor in cottons while clothes (and other superfluous items) were relegated to storage. This passion for prints gave birth to Elizabeth Allen Atelier in 1998. The collection softens the steely edges of modern life with a timeless sensibilty that is never outdated. Everything is custom made in the US where the superior quality is subject to Elizabeth's finicky standards. The line has grown from a stack of pillows into a sought-after, sophisticated collection that includes adult bedding, printed sheets, decorative pillows, baby bedding and accessories, window panels, Slinkwear (tm) and Ditsys. Elizabeth plans to continue spreading her belief that pretty needn't be boring with new product introductions in the future. The company recently pulled up roots in New York City's gritty garment district and settled on the tranquil shores of La Jolla Ca, where everything is infinitely prettier.
|
