Elaramoon specialise in making one-of-a-kind sustainable costuming handmade from repurposed materials. Fantasy, history and magic are at the heart of costume designer Meg’s extravagant creations, which she upcycles from vintage fabrics and second hand curtains. We spoke to Meg about her love of historical fashion and upcoming collection for York Fashion week, which fuses feminine fantasy with ethereal visions of rural harmony.
As a child Meg always loved to play dress up and created art out of anything she could find. ”I was always making things from whatever we had in the house for me and my sister.” At school, she would experiment with designing clothes, but her tutor would remark that they were too theatrical. It was then that she discovered her love for historical fashion, and decided to pursue a degree in costume design. Since graduating she’s returned to her roots in the scenic Yorkshire countryside, where she loves to explore the landscape’s rich cultural heritage in her work. “We’ve got such a vast history of textiles and the wool industry, I find it fascinating how people lived and worked back then,” she says. “When you think about the clothing, it really connects us with our roots and past.”
For Meg, it’s this storytelling that defines her work. From regency ball gown to Tudor dress, she believes in making clothes that unravel enchanting legends from Yorkshire’s past. “If you put on a costume you embody that …It really allows you to explore another version of yourself.” Her collection for York Fashion Week, titled Arcadia, is an extension of this. Filled with dreamlike pastels, and soft florals, the collection harkens back to a mystical world living in harmony with nature. The pieces are exquisitely detailed, complete with captivating corsets and rose-coloured stays. According to Meg, the completion of a garment can take anywhere from ‘a week to two months’, with hours spent bringing the different elements together.
Sustainability is extremely important to Elaramoon, and every piece is fashioned from repurposed materials - including thrifted curtains, vintage fabrics, and offcuts from local factories. “It’s always unique and made from reclaimed stuff,” Meg explains. “Any material I find has a lot of potential to be turned into something new … for me it’s so much more fun to find alternative methods of making rather than going out and buying something new.” She believes that in doing so, she can show people that it’s possible to make beautiful clothes from nothing.
York Fashion Week has a personal significance to Meg, and her love of Yorkshire is something she holds dearly. “After graduating, I was told that if I moved back home there would be less opportunities for me in Yorkshire, and I don’t think that’s true,” she explains. “Wanting to do my own thing, it has been difficult. I had no savings and had to work part-time, but I’m finally at the point now where I’m self-employed.” “Where I live in the villages, I’ve met amazing people and artists who care about the same things that I do, and I’ve made connections here that are a lot more genuine and valuable. I think you can pursue what you want to in a place that you love.”
Written by Maya Bewley
