It's really happening!

"We're doing it!"  Hubby and I say this to each other every night, without fail in the last 3.5-4 months, as we head to bed completely exhausted from our day, and all night of working on what we now called our second child, "Ele Story" after our daughter is fast asleep.  We have just that much adrenaline pumping through our bodies to get us that extra ounce of energy to say that to each other, right before just conking out.  

We literally decided to actually launch a children's clothing line just 4 months ago, even though it has been my dream to have a line of my own clothing designs for quite some time now.  I can't take the credit for this labor of love, even though I have done all the designing and artistic decisions on Ele Story--I could not have done it in the least bit if it weren't for my overly optimistic hubby for dragging me (the extreme opposite of him--overly pessimistic) "kicking and screaming" (his own words), on this journey.  

I am so grateful he did--the first 3 weeks I thought our marriage would be over before we even have a single design done.  I am not lying--it was rough.  Even my own mother, who in her lifetime inspired me to be myself and do what I believe in, could not possibly have forced me to do this.  I probably would've rebelled.  

In about a week (Aug 4-6), we will be showcasing our first Spring/Summer 2014 collection at ENK Children's Club in New York.  The collection has been truly a labor of love, tears, and much pain (physical pain from all the sewing and photoshopping...etc).  But it has come together at last!  We have had the support of so many friends and family in our lives--our parents, siblings, close friends, and even the friends on facebook following us so faithfully every week--they have made it possible to even keep going forward on this journey.

Four months ago we knew nothing about the fashion industry.  We didn't know how to get a design translated into a garment other than what I had done as a costume designer previously...I found out about hiring professional pattern makers, graders, markers, sample-makers, and manufacturers.  We had no idea how to get fabrics (like unlimited sources)--and now, at the end of these 4 months, I am in tears (ok, partly from the exhaustion of it all--not to mention working a full time job) just realizing how far we have come.  

I had always told hubby that my goal of starting this clothing line was not to get rich (although that would be nice because we've spent our life savings so far on this dream of mine, hehe) : P, but it was really to pursue a dream that I never thought possible.  Before I turned the ripe age of 30 I told myself I was going to accomplish something I never thought I would be able to do--or that I hated to do--and that was running miles without stopping.  I set my mind to do it and I did it--and I suppose this is, on a much larger scale, just that.  I needed to do this so that I have at least given it a try.  

Hubby reminds me constantly that my mom is looking down from heaven, smiling...I hope that she really is proud of what I have started.  I hope people will like the designs that I have created.  

Ele Story - Classic Children's Clothing Reimagined