Estyn Elan Engl

Born in San Francisco to a free-thinking couple from
New York and Minnesota, Estyn began learning art, design,

and costume during her early childhood. Learning

primarily from her mother who had previously worked sewing

elaborate costumes for the American Conservatory Theater. Estyn's

mother had learned dressmaking from her mother, who could improvise beautiful dresses

without any pattern.

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''Dressmaking runs in my blood. I genetically inherited my obsession''

With an art-centric childhood, including many summers spent at the
Buddhist Zen Center near Big Sur, California, she grew up largely unaware of mainstream fashion.

At 18 Estyn learned about the possibility of a career in fashion design at the
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - San Francisco. There she was awarded

second place prizewinner in the FIDM National Scholarship Award and later graduated

Phi Theta Kappa with her Fashion Design degree in 2004.

Prior to her graduation, Estyn accepted an offer from BCBG MAX AZRIA
and began her career in Los Angeles just two days after her graduation. 2004 Marked her
professional beginning in fashion design. With creative direction from Marie Mazelis

(now Director at Halston Heritage), Lubov Azria, and Alina Pizzano, Estyn developed a

specialty in Softdressing, Color Story building, Trend R&D, and overseas developments.

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After BCBG MAX AZRIA, Estyn designed for labels such as Ella Moss, Nordstrom's Felicity & Coco, Tommy Bahama, AG Jeans, Bebe Sport, and Michael Stars. Estyn’s designs, under these labels, have been
featured on Television, billboards, in Films, and worn by A-list celebrities such as Giselle Bundchen,
Allesandra Ambrosia, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Nicole Richie, Ashley Greene, Nikki Hilton,
Selena Gomez, and many more. Estyn's fashion illustrations have been featured by Pantone's Color Forecast.

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In 2013 Estyn met her match and spent years in the prestine German countryside
along the Swiss-Austrian border building her family. In 2015 between Los Angeles and
Germany, she set up design spaces and founded her own label Estyn Elan Engl Studio (Estyn Studio).
The special techniques and motifs of traditional folkswear in combination with simple everyday living are what largely inspire this designer.