Elena Velez

Elena Velez is an American fashion designer and entrepreneur from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her work is known for its non-traditional synthesis of metalwork and high fashion. 

Velez graduated from Parsons School of Design and completed her studies at Central Saint Martins in London. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin of Puerto Rican descent, Velez claims that the industrial nature of her nontraditional upbringing influenced her current artistic identity, which draws heavily on the relationship between femininity and force. 

Her company was subsequently featured in Forbes for its work with midwestern makers and its mission to democratize resources and recognize artists outside traditional creative capitals. Velez is the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s 2022 Emerging Designer of the Year, Elle magazine’s 2023 Women of Impact recognizée, a 2022 Vogue fashion fund winner, and the Fashion Trust Us Sustainability Award recipient.