Elle La is an Amsterdam based interior brand founded in 2020. Elle La was born from a desire to change the way of making with a focus on high quality natural materials. In a world that is increasingly disconnected from makers and producers, Elle La focuses on craftsmanship by local makers, circular use of natural materials, and design that stays true to the materials.
We are transparent about the origin of our natural fabrics, the ingredients, and processes of making: from growing the fibers and dyeing fabrics according to sometimes age-old traditions in local communities, to designing and manufacturing our products on demand at Atelier Made Here in Amsterdam.
Craftsmanship -Elle La’s core collection starts from traditional, locally handmade natural fabrics from the Dogon region in Mali and the North-east of Thailand. Our sleek designs of solid colors are inspired by these materials that arrive in straight bands. The designs are then brought to life by the Syrian textile artisans working at Atelier Made Here in Amsterdam, who landed here after fleeing their country.
Materials and making - The bands of natural fabric at the heart of Elle La’s core collection are made by a small community of traditional weavers and dyers living in close connection to nature in the Dogon area in Mali. The women in this community are responsible for picking and spinning cotton, after which men weave the cotton into bands on small handlooms measuring 16-17cm. The textile bands are then treated with the pulp of pods to ensure colorfastness. Materials for dyeing the fabric are provided by the earth: fermented tree bark (brown), pods (yellow), indigo leaves (indigo blue), and iron-rich mud from the Nigerian delta (black). The process of dyeing takes over a week, with women tending to indigo and yellow dyes, and men taking care of the brown and black pigmentation. In the Dogon region, these fabrics are worn for protection at particularly vulnerable or powerful moments in life. This tradition of weaving and dyeing is in danger of disappearing, since young people increasingly leave the region. By establishing a direct and fair payment system to the artisans in the Dogon community, we support the makers and hope to support the continuity of this age-old craft.
About Ella Hustinx
Ella founded her company, Elle La, in 2020. She always fostered a great interest for traditional crafts. While traveling though Asia & Central America she was already adjusting her travels to the traditional crafts along the way.
In 2020 she encounterd Elizabeth Visser, who shared the same interest for traditional crafts. Elizabeth worked for the United Nations and imported traditional textiles from artisans she encountered. While visiting her atelier in Hengelo she immedietly fell in love with the traditional Malian fabrics and felt a strong desire to work with them.
She has the ambition to make products that are made with love and care, that have a story to tell and contribute to the lives of the makers. In her designs she likes the textiles to steal the show.