Finding clothes that fit right can be hard for anyone, but apparel makers have long failed to provide unique and durable options for plus-size women. Elu, a startup that just graduated from 1871’s WiSTEM program, hopes to be a solution for that problem.
Christina Marshall-Valdez founded the company after attending a party on a yacht that called for all-white attire, where she and five other plus-size women each ultimately wore the same dress. She realized their options were limited.
“Things came to a head working in an advertising career in New York City, where I have these great marketing clients who are inviting me to high-profile events, and I'm choosing not to go because I can't find something to wear,” Marshall-Valdez said. “It sounds like a really crappy reason to say you can't go to something.”
Her new e-commerce company aims to make plus-size, high-quality, and highly customizable clothing that expands options for women. Marshall-Valdez said most options on the market today are either too matronly or geared for going to the club, often created with subpar materials and workmanship.
Elu’s system finds the right fit for a range of body types and creates garments built to last, she said. Customers first take a style quiz, which directs them pick a certain design. After picking the look they like best, shoppers can customize the outfit with details like fabric colors, hem length, sleeve style and the color of the lining and zipper.
Right now, Elu has three base styles customers can personalize. However, the company is running a Kickstarter to add more styles. The next garment Marshall-Valdez wants to add to the collection is Elu’s take on the classic little black dress. As a staple in many wardrobes, Elu wants plus-size women to have a little black dress that fits them perfectly.
For Marshall-Valdez, Elu is five years in the making. After the yacht party, she went back to school to earn a business degree at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. There, she honed her business plan and tested the market in just about every class she took. She even accepted an internship with Target, where she helped oversee buying both traditional labels and Target’s own in-house brands. The insight into how the clothing industry works gave her a great jumping-off point to launch Elu, she said.
After the Kickstarter wraps up, Marshall-Valdez plans to start looking for a seed round. Right now, she has a small core team and relies on contractor help to design and build garments. However, she hopes to hire on designers as the company grows, helping to add even more styles and options for plus-size women.
Images via Elu.
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