Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Estyn Elan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Estyn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

I am often mischaracterized. I am multi-racial and no one has ever guessed my ethnicity accurately. My name is Estyn. I have a diverse spiritual background. I have very long hair. I am petite. People usually cannot figure me out. I just let people think what they want and I don’t feel a need to justify or explain my existence. Most people do not know about image consulting. It is a niche industry that requires a very refined perspective. Image consulting is a blend of fashion, consulting, styling, psychology, science, and ultimately seeing the beauty in everyone and bringing it to the surface. Many people think that fashion is a very glamorous industry, which is a big misconception. We work long hours every day. Fashion is a way of living that requires designers to convert plain things or nothing, into something beautiful or aesthetically pleasing.

People are frequently misjudged- yes, even you. Our human brains are wired to make judgement on other in seconds. Primarily based on appearances, behaviors, and communications. There is so much to be learned! As a first time mother, becoming a mother provided me with an identity crises that led me to develop the style system. The style system is rooted in science, but isn’t without spirit. I use the step-by-step style system to help others gain confidence, clarity, and class. This system will not only change how you see yourself, but how you make decisions for yourself, and how other’s see you. Its truly empowering.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

STYLE. I have a background in fashion design that spans generations. My Grandmother could make a dress without a pattern, my mother made costumes for the American Conservatory Theatre. I started learning to sew by my mothers side at the age of around four or five years. I studied fashion illustration at the local junior college in Santa Rosa, CA while I was in high school and won a scholarship to attend FIDM. I went to fashion school at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in San Francisco and graduated Phi Theta Kappa with a degree in Fashion Design. A professor of mine saw that I had ‘grit’ and then hired me to design in Los Angeles for major fashion corporations like BCBG MAX AZRIA, Ella Moss, and AG Jeans. I had the privilege of seeing my work on billboards, on TV, in Films, magazines, on A-list celebrities, and even random passers-by.

SPIRIT. As I mentioned, I have a spiritually diverse background. My father was formerly Jehovah’s witness and after a very difficult childhood became agnostic with a passion for Tai Chi, science, and free thought. My mother was raised Catholic but at the time I came into the world she became a lay- ordained Buddhist. We spent some summers on a monastery in the remote forest in California. There was no electricity. We lived with nature. Later she became a member of Sukyo Mahikari and practiced the art of giving divine light. She later married a Muslim man from Morocco. My stepdad would pray 5 times per day and fast during Ramadan.

SOPHISTICATION. As a kid, I studied ballet from the age of six. I loved performing and thrived on stage. By the age of 16 it was clear I had a different way of moving and people were often struck by my performances. To this day I LOVE to dance. There is a transcendental aspect to dancing that I found. I could forget I existed and all the pains and disappointments life had given me. I got an injury though, and had to seek a different career path which was naturally fashion.
Later I began getting in touch with my roots and started dancing samba, and freestyle house fusions. I won a beauty pageant and was featured on TV and in music videos and danced for some incredible musical artists like DJ Louie Vega and Quetzal. I danced at the Hollywood Bowl for 40,000 people for the Playboy Jazz Festival. It was so much fun. I really mastered how to carry myself.

In 2013 I moved to the countryside in Germany and embarked on family life. There I became a mother. Things didn’t pan out the way I was expecting and I suffered post partum depression. I had a straight up identity crises. I started my own collection and worked with women from all over the world to get my dresses to them, mostly for their weddings. It was such a wonderful experience. The women would send me photos from their weddings and tell me their life stories. I really drove my interest in Image Consulting. I was travelling a lot and it’s really hard to cut, embroider, and sew a gown when you are in another country. While I was traveling though, I would do a lot of people watching in fancy hotels. I also learned a LOT more about verbal/ non-verbal communication and how to speak conversational German.

I moved back to Los Angeles in 2019 amidst a terrible legal child custody matter during which I became a Catholic Christian and did a lot of spiritual work.
Having left the vast majority of my belongings behind, I then switched into Style & Image Consulting. I started using all of my design, style, and illustration skills to help women use fashion to improve their self-esteem, self-confidence, and professionalism. This work is highly satisfying and I love to participate in the success of others. I know how to trigger sustainable transformation, inspiration, and help others see who they were born to become. It is a beautiful process. There are so many women struggling to take care of their loved ones- children or parents, or in many cases even siblings. It is easy to forget oneself in the process of caring for others or even getting lost in ones studies or work. If you are one of them, don’t hesitate to reach out at www.estynelan.com.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to elevate the style, spirit, and sophistication of mankind. We examine the quality of ones soul and spirit. We use specific techniques to define the vision, will, and a goal. For sophistication we work on speech, phrases, vocabulary, introductions, body language, etiquette, manners, and professional behaviors and polished vs. unprofessional conduct. For style we do assessments, analysis, styling, shopping, colors. It’s lots of fun watching people become their true selves and to see the sparkle return to their spirit.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I suffered a lot in having a baby in a foreign country. I was pregnant for the first time and very vulnerable. I didn’t speak the language. I went from living a posh independent city-life to the countryside where I was an immigrant who didn’t fit in or speak the language :/. I got depressed when the engagement didn’t result into the expected marriage. I faced major disillusionment and disappointment. The fact that I am still standing is something I am really proud of. I also managed to use the justice system to set firm boundaries to protect myself and my kids- on my own. Now I have my own business, I have won several awards for my work. I live with joy and gratitude for my experiences because they shaped who I am today, brought two beautiful souls into my world, and set me on the right path to live a fulfilling and purposeful life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ww.estynelan.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estynelan/#
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/estynelanstylesociety
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estynelan/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/estynelan/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@estynelanstudio
• Other: https://linktr.ee/estynelan