Wednesday, April 04, 2007

ELLA BROWN

Ella Brown
The name connotes femininity, elegance and a dash of soul.
Ella Brown Couture is the new design brainchild of Adefunke Adegbola.
Adefunke began designing when she was 15 years old and released her first collection in 2004. All through her teen years in Nigeria, she taught herself to cut, sew and make patterns. Hence honing the skills that have allowed her to pursue her design career.
Adefunke left a lucrative career in finance to establish her label and the dividends are now paying off. There is a lot of buzz surrounding her label, most especially her accessories and she will be featured at the 2007 Miami Fashion Week on April 17th, the 2007 Chicago Fashion Week on April 28th and Couture Fashion Week in New York City.






Tidbits from Ella Brown
Influences
Personally, I love sophisticated femininity with an exotic raw edge. Roberto Cavalli and Consuelo Castiglioni for Marni are my greatest influences because of their playful yet dangerously sexy designs for modern women. I also draw inspirations from baroque architecture, scroll work and anything gold.

The Ella Brown Look
The idea is to create elements alongside my clothing line to complete the Ella Brown Couture look. I just don't think the Ella Brown look is complete without the perfect clutch, sunglasses or jewellery. Even if you don't wear my clothing, you can still mix and match my accessories with pieces from your closet.

The Future of Ella Brown
My main goal is to grow the brand into something even more solid and sustainable which would continuously allow me to produce the work I believe in.
This is a very exciting time for Ella Brown Couture with the Fall '07 collection being showcased at the Miami Fashion Week next week, the cosmetics line and fragrance will be launching very early next year and the footwear collection will follow. I'm just very excited and thank Almighty God for everything he has done for me, and I'm looking forward to the future with great anticipation.

I absolutely love the simple yet detailed clothes but my favs have got to be the accessories. I know u guys will say that Bella has started with her 'I'm proud' anthem again but cant help but say it! I am sooo proud of her! I know how hard it is to leave the comfort of Corporate America for a risky career. I wish her all the best.
Anyways, let us know what you think of the clothes and accessories. Have a fab day y'all.

48 comments:

Dammie said...

Ohhh, that yellow purse is HauTe!!!!!!!!.....

Great designs!!!...Best wishes on her upcoming shows!!!

chidi said...

i like the jewellry. i think she would make it big

LondonBuki said...

Very impressive... being showcased at more than one Fashion show in the US.

I wish her all the best.

Anonymous said...

I remember when you used to spell your name adegbooola..!! lol Monkey. Now you are one hot yellow fine madam..wouldve said BABE but seeing as your blowing up make I dash you small, la'er babes

Anonymous said...

I would so rock every piece. What I like are the flexibility of her designs. Great for corporate and if styled well, perfect for a night out on a date or hanging with friends. Tres bien!

Anonymous said...

ahn ahn bella you coming back in full force, i guess you finally heard all our complaints lol
ella brown looks really nice oh! i heard about her a while ago but can barely find any info on her online...thanks for shedding more light on her line. Hope it's a success!

Anonymous said...

i absolutely love her stuff....where can we get them. Why does she remind me of beyonce?...Bella ur still doing great girl... And for the record i havent left u for fineboy oh...im still addicted to ur blog

Demi said...

Love it! Love it!! Love it!!!

BrightEyed Chick said...

Her pieces are fab!!!...I would love to get my hands on that yellow clutch...very delish.

SET said...

Nice stuff, Inspiring.

Anonymous said...

Lovely designs

Side note: I wonder where the name Ella Brown came from?

Anonymous said...

yea, i wonder where she got that name Ella Brown from, I don't know, I think the name doesn't fit the jewellery, great stuff though

Aramide said...

tres jolie - www.ellabrowncouture.com

Anonymous said...

meeen...the first naija designer to get her shitt together..... this chick is about to put naija on the map big time o.

Anonymous said...

@anonymous - I like Funke/Ella Brown, she is obviously talented and knows what she is doing but she is definitely not the first Nigerian designer to get her ish together. What about Deola Sagoe who has shown at NY Fashion Week/JBurg Fashion Week/Cape Town fashion Week/Face of Africa?

Props to Funke though

IJEOMA said...

i love the purses.. hot!, love the earings too

Anonymous said...

Wow she is truely talented,I love the jackets I will soo rock them. She even design eyewear!!! Like, Wtf?

@ teekay- u r soo right about her looking like miss knowles! Even down to her nose.

Remi Fagbohun said...

Another great pst Bella!

Vera Ezimora said...

Abeg, is Ella Jones hiring? I'm loving it!!

Hey, whatever happened to the email you were gonna send? I've updated o!

Icy PR said...

Nice post up bella ;) You should see the Fall collection. It's a killer. I have the black purse and the sunglasses head turner every damn time ;) RAWK ON MAMA I love Ella's Collection.. Love it

Anonymous said...

Love the jewelry!

Candide said...

Love the purses!!!

Uzo said...

Interesting. Never heard about this lady....I like her accessories....

Mari said...

Yup, her accessories are really nice, the purses and sunglasses are my fav. Am not big on jewelry so I can't say much but they all look decent.

Anonymous said...

Love her stuff. These older chicks are blazing the trail for us 20sumthings..Go girl love her jewelry!

Beyond said...

the accessories looks fabulous.

zaiprincesa said...

accessories, accessories, accessories!!!...makes any outfit look fab!..well, most times sha...lol..
I like!

Unknown said...

hahahah @ Sepura older wetin hahah she's 20 something too hun lol!

Biodun said...

I m loving thr jewelry collection:) Hats off to her, she is doing big things!

Toni Payne said...

OMG, I love, love, love the sunglasses. That is so me. oo and the yellow purse would go so well with my new dress :(

UnNaked Soul said...

interesting piece... checking her website out... 9-5 is killing me, I want to have fun!

Favoured Girl said...

I like the jewellery cos it would jazz up any simple outfit, and I'm loving gold at the moment, so it rocks for me. I'd never heard about her before, so thanks Bella! Have a great Easter break.

Anonymous said...

OLUWABELLA..IT IS PAST 3.P.M BY MY TIME.WHERE IS MY WEEKEND FIX?
I HAVE BEEN STALKING THIS SITE DEMENTEDLY SINCE LUNCH TIME.
ABEG,HELP A SISTER WITH A HABIT.
I NEED MY WEEKENDLY BELLA DOSE.
OYA QUICK QUICK.UPDATE.NOW!!!1

Anonymous said...

oops thot she was an older chick as per the picture..Still love her stuff though,..old,young,whatever!

Dammie said...

XxDitto 'ANON 3.20'...LoLxX

Anonymous said...

I say big props to her for doing her own thing but I do not see any originality whatsoever. I see a Versace-esque influence and am not too impressed with the finishing on the Yellow purse. The accessories will do well beacsue the stuff is made in china and it looks like everything else out there. I'm a naijagal working in the industry as a buyer so my question to her would be what makes Ella Brown so different from everything else thats out there?. and how will will u reinvent yourself seaon to season. At tradeshow buyers ask those kind of questions. Its all about putting a personal stamp to your work, we the people most important for your business to grow want to see that. Other than that, I wish you all the best but just stay true to who u are. We are rooting 4 u. Be original.
Sorry Bella am clogging up your blog but I'm a fan and keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

errr can you blog about nigeria's next top model...see perezhilton.com

Anonymous said...

sure, her stuff is good, and looks solid...just can't wait 2 hear d prices.

Icy PR said...

@ Vintageneista I'm responsonding to your message as a full supporter of Ella's Brown collection. I can say with my name stamped on it a 100% that NONE of Ella's desings are made in China. She works on all her designs and makes them locally in California. I can vouche for all it's originality. These images here are a very minute number of her spring/summer collection. Wait till you see the rest of the collection it is pretty steady and consistent.

Give it a chance and you'll remain proud and supportive. Who knows You might end up buying some of the collection ;)

chidi said...

hey bella! thanks for visiting my blog!

BOBBY said...

Very well said @ Icy...

Ella Brown is talented...what else can i really say?

Her accessories and clothing look very original if you ask me. And yes i think that they stand out as well.

Those earrings will look so so good with my new hair cut (hint for Icy).

Great post bella! Oh and we have major beef.

Anonymous said...

I hear you Icy, all I am saying is there is nothing about her collecion that says NEW, fresh & original about it. Thats all. I am a buyer so I know. There is nothing wrong with that its all biz, sometimes biz people choose to be more safe as to ensure sales, that is why I said it will do well. I see a versace-esque influence all the way down to the logo. a lot of fashion businesses out there arent bothered about being original. they stick to what works and all i was saying is ELLA BROWN IS NOT ORIGINAL. Toni Paynes cute signature tanks are more ORIGINAL. just my opinion. I dont see anything that says "new" thats all. I see her 'influences'. I will be at Miami fashion week so I'll check her out. The reason why I said made in china because it does have a mass produced look to it.. plastic beads instead of stones. Couture is a strong word, thats luxury and I dont see that in her collection. i am just offering advice not hating just giving her pointers bcos when shes out trying to sell th collection she will encounter those kind of questions. why is it couture? how?

Anonymous said...

@vintagema you are so right!
pple need to be really careful that they are not mimicking others' designs and calling it original.
That being said her stuff is wearable which is always a plus.

Anonymous said...

That jacket with the frils I have it.. got it last summer from Urban outfitters.I do see a point of view... but not neccessarily HERS. kudos to her tho' for doing her own thing. It takes a very determined person, not everybody can do that I wish her all the best wit her biz, just get rid of d versace logo its a tad tacky & outdated. Just my opinion o!

Anonymous said...

Vintageniesta, I had to comment, again. I totally hear you. I agree on some points and disagree on many. I know from my experience after spending aeons in the industry in so many positions that there is a HUGE market for the Ella Brown collection. That market is young, hip, trendy and want the musthave stuff, now! Ella's collection caters very nicely to that target audience and spills over to a more mature crowd because of the versatility of her collections. While buyers buy, Fashion Journalist also have a huge influence to observe, determine and spot trends as well as guide the consumer as to what is the "in" thing> I happen to be a part of Fashion Media. In my view, if the buyer of Macy's does not want the Ella collection BUT the market place says "we want Ella", guess what, the buyers at Macy's better respond to the demand of its customers and buy Ella otherwise,those customers will go to another store to get their "Ella fix." I agree with you that there is room for more original designs, I actually think what she has going works and will sell very well, season after season. To show at most fashion weeks, there are screening processes including reviewing the "look book." Not every designer with money gets to show at fashion weeks. A preview by a governing fashion committee or board screens out ppl. She's passed that, three times. I think that says there is a market and buyers better stock up on her collection as her young market heads to stores across the country demanding Ella Brown designs. The key thing, like you pointed out, is to see whether she can keep up with the finicky loyalty of the young market. Mature consumer wants more of the stones you pointed out. I would lose the "couture" next to the name too. Overall, I again think strong designs and highly marketable, especially to the young/hip 18-25 target market. Too bad my schedule precludes me from attending Miami Fashion Week this season BUT I will be there another season and will be looking to review hopefully a very sexy, fun, young and creative Ella Brown Collection.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful stuff happy easter bella

Anonymous said...

Hey ladyBrille
I agree with you 100%. Very well said. We both agree it will sell because its like everything else out there. So ppl wont feel like like they are taking a risk trying her stuff. I wish her the best. Its just the beginning anyway 7 she'll learn as she grows.

Chic said...

naija people and their borderline insult disguised as compliments. Ella brown do your thing with your 20 something self biko, at this rate you will become a household name in no time.