Today we’d like to introduce you to Louma El-khoury
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been an artist ever since I can remember. I taught myself to draw from an early age, and got into fashion sketching during a trip to Paris with my family when I was about 8. After high school, I studied fashion design in Montreal, Canada, and specialized in fashion illustration, and I never stopped drawing fashion to this day.
My career background includes fashion design for a private label company, product and packaging design in different industries, as well as graphic design. All of the experience I’ve gathered in these jobs helped me be successful in the different aspects of my own business today.
Fashion is also the foundation of Pokidots, which started in 2016 with the fashion keepsakes I created for my girls–by drawing them as I imagined them as adults, and dressing their illustrations with my favorite of their baby clothes. The custom fashion keepsakes have been the best seller keepsake since day 1, and they are also my favorite ones to create. Since then, Pokidots evolved substantially: I’ve offered more custom keepsakes styles, created a collection of DIY keepsakes to make at home, and added products that promote a meaningful and joyful family life such as the Christmas village Advent calendar set, guided journals for kids and parents, and wall calendars for the year. Pokidots products travel all around the world, spreading joy and positive vibes :)
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey with Pokidots has been wonderful with all its ups and downs, and I’m always grateful for the unwavering support of all my family members, even though it’s considered somewhat an unconventional path.
The biggest challenge I’ve faced has certainly been Covid.
2019 was my best year, and when Covid started, I paused to be with my family, just like most people. After a pause of several months, it was a slow road for Pokidots to get back the momentum it had picked up in 2019.
Creating the DIY keepsake collection and the new products, especially the Christmas village Advent calendar, eventually gave me a good boost and Pokidots was able to recover and get back on track. The new products I added during that time ended up being favorites for me and for my customers, so the hard road ultimately led to something great!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am known as Pokidots, for the beautiful custom keepsakes I create using sentimental clothes. Pokidots keepsakes started in 2016 as baby keepsakes, made with outgrown baby clothes that are meaningful to the parents (like the coming home pajama, the hospital blanket, or a special outfit). It didn’t take long before it evolved and started encompassing all kinds of sentimental clothes: I’ve worked with graduation gowns, favorite t-shirts, special occasion and wedding dresses, hats, blankets, raincoats, you name it. Lately, memorial keepsakes have been ordered more often, to honor a family member who passed, and I’m loving all the ways people are choosing to preserve their memories. Pokidots mission is truly to spread joy.
I think what sets my work apart from others is that I take items that are stored away and make a piece of art with them, one that you can actually hang and display, as opposed to another thing that will eventually end up back in storage. Another thing is that I am also an illustrator and I use those skills to make the keepsakes more beautiful and more customized.
What I am most proud of is my progress in illustration–being resilient and never giving up on this passion of mine in over 30 years. Even though I am known as the keepsake artist, I still “introduce” myself as a fashion illustrator, because to me, this is the source and foundation of my work. I’m back to taking more fashion illustration projects right now, working on a new collection, and I’m also teaching beginner fashion illustration/character drawing to young girls locally. It’s been wonderful.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Maybe that’s not so surprising for people who know me, but if I hadn’t pursued a creative diploma and career path, I would have probably studied psychology or psychiatry. I’ve always been fascinated by the human mind and passionate about learning to work with it to create a life that’s more balanced and harmonious.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pokidots.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pokidots/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pokidots/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/loumaelk.illustration
