We first discovered Elena Velez when we built our Style Board Diversity in Design series, and have been fans ever since. Her designs speak to us not only because they're the minimal, modern silhouettes that we love, but she also uses repurposed and upcycled materials to make her clothing not only beautiful, but also sustainable. Elena's designs "play on the ideas of femininity, challenging with the ideas of what can be beautiful by using materials that are deemed for grunt work and transforming them into ethereal garments."
A recent Parson's graduate, Elena has already entered the mainstream by dressing celebrities like Solange Knowles and Ariana Grande. But, in the bigger picture, as she recently told Teen Vogue, "One day I hope to run a quietly conscious fashion label that rejects the current conventions of excess and exclusion, instead proposing authentic process, community engagement and compelling storytelling as ultimate remedy."
Elena's Spring Summer 2020 collection "Homecoming" is full of modern and edgy, yet neutral looks with statement accents and an unmatched attention to detail. Our favorite looks include an asymmetrical patchwork top, cutout high/low dress and a structural dress with a perfectly draped bust line.
You can watch Elena's SS20 Runway show here and view the collection on her website here >
All images by The O.X. Project via elenavelez.com
Image via elenavelez.com
Image via elenavelez.com
Image via elenavelez.com
Image via elenavelez.com
Image via elenavelez.com