Here at ELLISS, we are known for bold, graphic collage cut-out prints and we’d love to tell you a bit about the story and process behind creating them!
The most important part of ELLISS’s signature print style is how the images are positioned on the body to ensure a flattering silhouette with playful prints dancing around the curves of the body. We love flicking through our rich archives of vintage magazines from the 30s to the 70s and choosing imagery that is fun, sexy and graphic with bold and unique colour palettes! These carefully selected cut-outs are then collaged onto different silhouettes to find the best fit. The prints are then carefully engineered for each panel of clothing and printed onto one of our sustainable fabrics.
We carefully plan the fabric to have as little waste as possible! This means one roll of fabric will contain panels for t-shirts, dresses and smaller garments like underwear and bras all slotted into place like a jigsaw. This helps us to make use of every section of the fabric. All elements of the design process are considered, from positioning the imagery in the most interesting and visually appealing way, to making the layplan as efficient as possible so it aligns with our sustainable values.
This collaging process is done by using a mixture of hand cut-outs and finished on the computer to ensure all elements are blended perfectly. We tailor each print to the shape of the garment to ensure a dynamic, graphic style with a unique story to each piece. The seams are then used to crop the imagery, turning the body into a canvas and the garment into a piece of art.
The print on the ‘Anna Body’ features a painting of Anna Kingsford; a 19th Century English anti-vivisectionist, vegetarian and women’s rights campaigner. Kingsford was one of the first English women to obtain a degree in medicine, as well as the only medical student at the time to graduate without having tested on a single animal. This image was created with a mixture of collage and watercolour painting. ELLISS loves depicting influential, empowering women on the pieces which in itself, empowers the wearers.