Elle B. Mambetov Is Creating Modest Fashion In Her New Found Freedom
Photo courtesy of Elle B Mambetov
Written by Jessy Humann
It’s hard to believe that bad things happen to good people. Several years ago, modest fashion designer Elle B. Mambetov was successfully creating and designing, had secured partnership deals with Toni & Guy and Evian, had done business deals with the advisor to the former British Prime Minister David Cameron, and was a London Fashion Week designer.
Crisis of Identity
Elle B Mambetov
As she began successfully journeying into her modest fashion designs, her identity was stolen by her close friend, her life flipped upside down and she was unjustly held in a foreign maximum security prison for two years. Being in prison is something she never could have predicted.
“It shook me to my core. My identity didn’t equal prison.”
It made her question who she was, whom she could trust, and altered her normal human interactions.
During her time in prison, Elle’s mom was the only person who stuck with her. Her friends who were around when everything was great never called or wrote. When Elle sent evidence proving her innocence to Congress, her mom was the one who followed up to get her released.
Freedom
In November of 2018, Elle was freed by the American government who intervened on her behalf, even though the man who stole her identity isn’t behind bars.
She hasn’t let that stop her from following her dreams.
It’s been almost two years since her release, and Elle just launched her newest collection of modest womenswear, Elle B. Zhou. She’s determined to change the perception of modest fashion into something that people will want to wear; clothes that are sophisticated, fun, and full of personality. She’s gone through her journey with fashion and wanted her new collection to feel like her, so she created pieces that she would want to wear.
To Know Ones’ Self
Elle’s collection reflects her recent conversion from Christianity to Muslim, and it’s a celebration of her ability to rebuild herself and be creative again after all the hardship she’s been through.
Elle B. Zhou top
"This collection is my brain, heart, and soul-stretching to collide two worlds of fashionable existence. A representative of my journey into dressing modestly; each cropped top, short-sleeved shirt, and pair of trousers have been repositioned to fit within this new world as I seek to redefine modest fashion."
To be designing again is an exciting experience for Elle, one that she's’ extremely thankful for. To help give back and to spread the message of hope, Elle’s donating a portion of all profits from her collection to Vogue's A Common Thread and Doctors Without Borders to raise funds for those who’ve been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elle B. Zhou workwear look
If there’s anything Elle’s learned through all the hardship she's faced, it’s not to give up too soon. While in prison, she had moments where she felt suicidal, where she couldn’t imagine what life might be like if she were released. Now she’s married, designing and creating again, celebrating the launch of her new collection, and looking forward to opening a store this summer. She wants people to know that there’s always hope, even when it seems like you’re in the darkest times.
“Don’t give up too soon because you never know what will happen. You have to have some sort of hope that everything will work out.”
New Beginnings
Later this summer, Elle’s new store will open in the Beverly Center and will showcase her new collection. Set to be on the luxury level, Elle’s excited for customers to see modest fashion expressed in a new way. She’s essentially re-thought modest fashion and created pieces that people will want to wear because people who dress modestly or want to be completely covered still care about fashion. Elle is innovative and has created things like lightweight, breathable dresses that still offer full coverage.
Elle B. Zhou designs
Aside from her new collection and store, Elle’s also involved in a new PBS initiative called “American Portrait,” which aims to capture the many ways that America’s changing. As a Muslim convert living in American, Elle’s “American Portrait” special will tell the story of how she changed faiths, and how being a Muslim convert shows up in her relationships, daily interactions, and work-life. She’s experiencing America in a new way because of her changed faith, yet she remains the same person. Elle’s “American Portrait” special will hopefully be released sometime next year.
For the future, Elle has big goals both personally and professionally.
“I’d like to be brave enough to start having kids. Professionally, I want to change the production of modest fashion: what it is, what it looks like, what it feels like. I want to create something that physiques want to dress.”
She hopes to start collaborating with e-retailers like Modanisa who can help her reach her goal of making modest fashion more affordable, but overall, she wants to start living more authentically as herself, and her new collection is a big way she’s doing that.
“You have to believe in yourself and your ideas, even when no one else will.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Elle or shopping for her new collection, visit her website www.ellebmambet.com or follow her on Instagram @ellebzhou.
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