Happy 12th Anniversary to EleStory! How It All Began...

When we started EleStory 12 years ago, we didn’t have a real plan.

My husband had just lost his job, and I was devastated—worried about how we’d pay for the home we had just bought, on top of childcare for our daughter June, who was not even two years old at the time.

But God graciously gave us one unexpected gift: he had 7 months of severance pay.

So instead of rushing to find another job, he said to me,

“I promise you I will get a job —but because of my severance pay, what if we treated this time like I'm still working, and think of this as an opportunity to finally start that clothing line you’ve always dreamed of?”

I remember looking at him like he was crazy (I still think that haha), but I knew deep down in my heart, I believed him. 

He spent the next six months working tirelessly to bring our business to life—doing informational interviews with small clothing business owners, sourcing vendors, and figuring out what it would take to launch a clothing line since neither of us had any fashion industry knowledge. 

If I’m honest, I was still terrified. I had no fashion background, no roadmap—just a dream and the fear that I might fail. But maybe it was that naïveté, paired with my husband’s unwavering optimism, that kept us moving forward. We took the leap—with a toddler in tow—and refused to let self-doubt or the voices saying “that’s impossible” hold us back. I designed our logo within a week, started designing and sewing in our living room, running production, marketing, and doing customer service -- with little June helping me ship from our living room. 

My co-worker and friend at Pixar, Melissa Fuller, agreed to shoot my first collection for me free of charge - we booked a studio space in San Francisco and just went for it. We cast my daughter June, her cousin, and Melissa's friends' daughters for that memorable photoshoot. 

We started in April 2013. Six months later, we launched our first Spring 2014 collection—and to our surprise, it sold to over 40 boutiques that first season.


We did plenty of craft fairs (too many to count) for many years, which were an amazing place to get feedback for my designs - but they were exhausting physically and mentally. 
Once we got off the ground, he kept his promise and went back to work to continue supporting the dream we had started together. He would go on fabric runs with me during his time off or lunch break, and do weekend craft fairs with me. He eventually taught himself how to run ads, and continues to do that for us. 
I did a craft fair at Pixar as well, that first season, and it was such a hit. People were so kind and supportive, and I felt like I actually had something good. Just after little June turned 3, I remember putting in my resignation at this magical workplace - and being so terrified still, not knowing if I was making the right decision. But, I knew EleStory needed my dedicated attention, and running production in Oakland and San Francisco wasn't something I could do outside work hours. My manager at the time, Nick, was so supportive and overjoyed for me, and gave me the nicest sent-off. I will never forget that. 

A couple of years in, orders started coming in and we hired our first shipping help - one of whom became our employee, and is still with us 8 years later!

So much has happened over these last 12 years. EleStory has grown, our family has grown, and so have I. But one thing has remained constant: my gratitude.
Getting to do this work—creating designs you and your girls choose for your most cherished moments—is something I’ll never take for granted. It never gets old when I see reviews or sweet messages come through from you. It’s a “pinch me” feeling, every single day.

This journey has been far from easy. But I’m so proud of how far we’ve come. And I’m so thankful for you—for cheering us on, for choosing our small business over big-box brands, and for being part of the EleStory family.

With all my heart,
Judy