Thulie Clothing – Boutique Women’s Fashion

Thulie Ellis Fashion Label

Australian Fashion Review caught up with Thulie Ellis for an exclusive interview regarding her namesake womens fashion label thulie.

Q1) Who are the name/s behind the fashion label and what is/are your backgrounds?

Thulie is the designer and creative vision behind the label thulie. Thulie was born in Umtata in the Transkei region of South Africa. After her mother remarried, Thulie’s mother and newly adopted father wanted to offer her a better upbringing away from apartheid in South Africa so they made the move to New Zealand where Thulie was raised. Thulie was signed with a children’s modelling agency at five years old and this exposed Thulie to the world of fashion. This combined with her mother’s love for fashion and a handful of fashion magazines in hand, her love affair with Fashion began.

Q2) When and how did it all begin?

After working in different aspects of the fashion industry ranging from retail, buying, visual merchandising and runway/fashion shoot production it was only natural for her to map out a future in the industry. While attending prestigious FBI fashion school in Sydney Thulie had the fortunate opportunity to work with some of the best designers, runway producers, models and fashion insiders Australia has to offer. Attending FBI was a tremendous learning experience for Thulie, however on the job training with Australia’s finest gave her the knowledge and confidence to bring out her own creative vision.

Q3) What do you hope to accomplish with your fashion label? What is the dream!?

My vision for the label is to bring something new to the industry locally and internationally. My personal dream is to continue to shock and challenge myself as a designer season upon season. For the label my hopes are to always bring something new and fresh to my clients while sticking to our routes of creating timeless and classic pieces.

Q4) Who are your favourite fashion designers and what about them inspires you? What else inspires you?
I have an eclectic mix of fashion designer favourites. I have an adoration for Edith Head due to her raw natural talent. I love the rags to riches story of how Edith Head came from humble beginnings and had no formal fashion education training but designed master pieces for the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Bette Davis. I also loves Elie Saab and Versace for their careful and throughout garment construction and longevity in an ever changing industry. I love how Versace has these incredible gowns and yet can make beautiful office appropriate wear that still has a feminine approach to it. I gain inspirations from everyday life. I find myself living in a fashion goggles world. I mean by that is whether I am watching a movie, at the beach, reading a blog or simply viewing interior design I can’t help but think of what I could design by viewing these concepts.

Q5) If you could pick someone famous that best represents your labels style, who would it be? Alternatively, what famous person/s would you want wearing your label?

The person I would love to see wearing my label would have to be Leighton Meester. I love the fashion her character Blair Wardolf wears on the show. She is so elegant, classic, feminine while still remaining sexy. Her persona on gossip girl was the inspiration behind “the Wardorf dress” The sexy and youthful tone of sequins in a backless dress while the cream silk and organza infusion gave the dress the demure classic elegance to the garment. While I love the character Leighton Meester plays on gossip girl, it is her personal style which makes her my famous person pick. Leighton’s personal style almost contradicts her character. Leighton has the ability to wear Oscar worthy feminine dresses that take my breath away. On the other extreme she can wear risqué fashion forward pieces and pulls it off effortlessly. I can relate to this as a designer. My hearts passion will always remain in designing feminine classic pieces that a woman would have in her wardrobe for years to come, but I love the challenge of designing something that is still glamorous but a little different to what you would expect from thulie. I think as woman we are all a little bit like that. We have a sense of style that everyone comes to expect from us but once in a while we put on something a little different and risqué which makes people want to know a little more about you….

Q6) Complete the following sentence: Our fashion label is unique because….. thulie dares to dream big for the everyday woman!

Every thulie garment is designed with a occasion in mind rather than a specific woman so there is a little something for everyone. Whether it a 21st, dream job interview, first date, engagement party, wedding or simply something a little glamorous to make you feel good.

FASHION DESIGNER'S DIRECTORY