How we work

 

By confining the entirety of the design, sampling and production stages to a central London atelier, E.L.F Zhou London continue to present truly innovative products and maintain a watchful eye on the rigorous process from start to finish. Our small and dedicated team work to continuously re-evaluate the procedure, ensuring avant-garde design, luxury finishings and high quality across all product ranges. In pushing the boundaries of ‘traditional’ production techniques, E.L.F Zhou have developed unique signature finishings and are constantly striving to ensure customers receive exceptional, hand-crafted, novel garments and accessories.

With London as a base, the team are able to source most fabrics, trimmings and hardware locally – helping to keeps material costs down whilst supporting the local economy. By employing local specialist designers and seamstresses, E.L.F Zhou can continue to contribute to the growth of London as one of the largest fashion capitals in the world. One of the biggest benefits relating to in-house production and sampling is its allowance for continuous quality control. The team are able to personally verify the quality of the fabrics (something that is particularly important with natural materials such as leather), choosing to save marked or heavily textured sections for future sampling and test fabrics.

Keeping the sampling stage in-house at our London atelier ensures alterations can be made to the construction process immediately – adaptations for ease of sewing, improved fit or aesthetic of the garments rather than the information having to be sent back and forth. This shortens the time scale necessary to finalise a collection – meaning that despite employing a smaller team, E.L.F Zhou are able to execute more looks per season. Inventive solutions are devised allowing them to remain true to the original idea while also improving and developing upon the design.

Samples sewn in industry standard size small must then undertake a rigorous fitting process on a fit model. At this stage any necessary adaptations to the patterns and design are made and final fabrics are approved. E.L.F Zhou designers grade the pattern into multiple sizes, which are subsequently sampled and fitted. While a final sample in industry standard size is created utilizing all correct finishings and fabrics – as this is the sample seen in the campaign and lookbook photoshoots.

Offering a wide product range, E.L.F Zhou caters to a varied demographic with luxury silk and leather items in the classics range – including bodies, bras, sets and nightwear.  All of these ranges style gorgeously with innovative leather accessories, from more subtle and demure wrist or neck costume jewellery, to bold bondage-inspired statement pieces. Over the coming seasons E.L.F Zhou aims continue showcasing garments to fit both demographics, and to expand further into bridal, nightwear, swim and other lifestyle products whilst still presenting collections exuding their signature erotic-luxe aesthetic.