About

Elennah Isrik is a slow fashion brand located in Helsinki, Finland.

I drive a new kind of fashion design culture which aims to manufacture only what is needed. Slow fashion means that most of the products are made only after the order is placed. There's no way of knowing what pieces are going to sell, and what sizes the people are who buy them. Therefore the customer has to be prepared to be patient waiting for their order to arrive, but also that the piece is made for none other than them exactly.

Elennah Isrik pieces are designed to form a compatible style, and they stay in the collection for as long as there’s interest towards them. Some pieces can be customized, so You can choose from few different neclines, sleeves or lengths for example. Materials are sourced from EU area and are mainly cotton and linen, along with some deadstock fabrics of variable kind in limited designs. Every piece of clothing designed to last, and prepared to be mended and/or altered as easily as possible for as long as the user is keen to continue wearing their favourite outfits. Should You need a new zipper or extra buttons, just contact Atelier Isrik.

KIRSI HANNELE

I'm the woman behind my brand, my name spelled the other way around: Kirsi Hannele - Elennah Isrik. My love for designing and making clothes started at a young age, but I had to come a long way to start my own fashion business.
By profession I’m actually a footwear designer, and I've also studied fashion and graphic design. After a proper burnout a few years ago I sold my apartment, quit my 9 to 5, took a little breather and invested the money in my own company. To keep things interesting, I’m also currently ploughing towards master’s degree in cultural studies at the University of Helsinki. Obviously it’s all related on how we should consume fashion.

I do question if there's any point to make clothes in a world which is burning under the climate change, the whole industry being problematic and full of unsolved, internationally challenging issues. The reason I hold on to hope in these dark moments is the way this industry has to change, and that someone has to relentlessly continue changing it. This is not only my mountain to climb, it's the consumers' and other entrepeneurs alike too. Our behaviour has to adjust differently and we all will have to respect the materials as resources of continuous value, not easily disposable, one-time usable commodities that serve us two seconds.

Step by step, inform, study, educate, reflect, adjust.

COMPANY GOALS

At the moment I'm the only owner/worker in my company, but there are a lot of people working in the supply chain. There's no way at this point I would be able to introduce them all, but I will acknowledge their part and try to keep my customers and anyone interested informed of their participation too. Some day, for example, I hope to visit the cotton and flax fields, see how the yarns are spun and fabrics knitted, but I'm not quite there yet. If I'm going to be, it's due to my customers.
The materials selected for my collections are mainly made from natural fibres, excluding some limited deadstock fabrics. Sometimes it's hard to avoid elasthane, since it's very commonly used in rib fabrics, and it may not be possible to order small enough lengths without it. And although I'd like to stay away from polyester altogether, there is also the thread issue to be tacled. My promise is that I'm working on it.

I hope to see customers passionate about these things and respect not only the design but the work and people behind who made the garment, and also the fiber itself in form of fabric. I hope to be able to design clothes that would stay in use for as long as possible, loved so much that when they begin to fall apart the wearers would invest to repair them. And when they finally are at the end of their life cycle, return them or otherwise dispose of them responsibly.

One more thing, I get this site isn’t all that fine-tuned just yet. There are pictures to be taken, texts to be written and apps to be installed until this becomes the fully functioning webshop it’s supposed be. It’s not quite there because I’m literally running a one woman operation, trying to hold all the balls in the air, pay the bills, build a brand and curse at the broken needles behind my sewing machine in the middle of the night. Still, You are most welcome to contact me about any information You might need, join the mailing list for news and of course follow Elennah Isrik on social media. Small accounts, big dreams!

SHOUT-OUT TO SOME COMPANIES I WORK WITH

Fashion Patterns
Pesuheikki
Siulas
Sidonios
Tmi Irja Haimi
Rodino
Moikka / Noissue
Modimod
2wooU