Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Stovall.
Hi Elle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Where do I begin? I was born in Dongducheon, South Korea, my father was in the military so upon his return to the US, he sent our family to live in Chicago, IL, with his mother and grandmother as he was deployed back overseas. Chicago is a very fashion-forward city, as well as I was raised within a very fashionable family. I believe this is part of what helped to influence my love and attraction to fashion. Growing up, one of my desires was to become a fashion designer, I would attempt to sketch gowns, pantsuits and anything that came to mind in hopes of one day creating them, but I was encouraged to take a more traditional route in my career path. I was raised by my great-grandmother, she was big on having a trade, so I went into cosmetology, but she was also very adamant on having a stable career, so I became an administrative assistant and a paralegal. Eventually over time, I couldn’t resist the tug in my heart for my passion, so I took a leap, purchased a sewing machine and taught myself to sew. I began sewing clergy wear and dance garments for churches, but over time moved into making what I really loved, custom gowns and ready-to-wear clothing. I decided to launch my independent clothing brand, Elle Stovall, and here we are today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
HAA! Smooth road… absolutely not! (Huge laugh) There definitely have been a few hiccups along the way, some were just life in general, and some were what I like to call self-induced hiccups, those things that come into play because I could have made better decisions, had more confidence in myself and my work, taken things more seriously in some areas, and so much more, but what is success without a few challenges along the way. There isn’t anything that I have been through whether in business or in life that I regret, and I appreciate it because it has helped groom me into who I am at this moment. I am a firm believer that as we grow older and more mature, there will always be challenges and obstacles to face, we just have a better strategy to approach them and different grace to deal with them. My great-grandmother often told us that storms help us to appreciate the sun, and I honestly believe that is what my path has been. Despite the challenges I have faced, it has helped me to appreciate the success that I have gained, and I know that there may be more rain and wind, there may be a tornado or two, but the sun always returns.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a strong believer that a great deal of our confidence is expressed through our personal style, so I have become known for creating garments for the confident woman who isn’t afraid to make a statement with her own individual style, hence my motto. “Your Style… Your Voice”. My goal is to offer a variety of clothing options from custom to ready-to-wear, casual to formal. I am probably most known for my custom garments, which I love creating, I enjoy the aspect of bringing a vision to life. I must say we have many proud moments but I am most proud of our philanthropic work where we have contributed to helping to make masks for various organizations during the pandemic, as well as gifting custom prom dresses to deserving graduates who may not have the financial means to purchase the gown of their dreams. I am pleased with my New York Fashion Week debut with Plitz New York City Fashion Week in September 2020 and my most recent showing with the Chattanooga Fashion Expo in November 2022, these are truly honorable and memorable accomplishments for myself and my brand.
I believe the things that set Elle Stovall apart from others is my attention to detail and the ability to bring that to a garment, I am always thinking of ways to make even the simplest items stand out in the crowd. Second would be the value we place upon our customers, I don’t like the aspect of customers being treated as transactions, but I prefer to treat them as family, remembering things such as birthdays, so we send out a birthday card, celebrating in their milestones and life celebrations, as well as the occasional thinking about you, hope you and your family are well cards, let them know that we’re not in this business just for sales, but because we value people, these are the two main factors that set us apart from others.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something that may be surprising to some is that I am much older than many think. I often find that most assume I am in my middle to late 30s when they meet me, but I am in my late 40s. I will proudly be turning 48 on April 30th this year. I’m flattered that it’s assumed I’m much younger, but so very grateful and thankful that I have made it this far, especially since there have been several health challenges that once said otherwise. I am a living testimony and advocate for it is never too late to pursue your dreams. One of the most important things to me is family, so I wanted to make sure I dedicated as much time as I could to raising and nurturing my daughter and our bonus children to ensure that they accomplished all they desired, so I always took the backseat to what I wanted. Now that my daughter is an adult, I took the steps to follow my dreams and that has led me to encourage so many others that age doesn’t stop anything, if you desire it, you can accomplish it. So yes, I am the generally one of the older, if not oldest in the group; among most of my fashion colleagues, I’m considered the “momma” or “big sister”, but it is perfectly fine with me, they keep me on my toes and it helps me to stay young at heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ellestovall.com
- Instagram: @ellestovall
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ellestovallco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ellestovall5561
- Other: TikTok: @ellestovall
Image Credits
Plitz New York City Fashion Week Chattanooga Fashion Expo 4FC Productions RAW Artists Atlanta Stovall Media Group
