My grandmother taught me the basics of sewing when I was very young, and I've been designing clothing in some form ever since.  My first project was designing and constructing a waitress uniform for my sister so we could play restaurant.  To save time, I actually sewed the outfit onto her.  Unfortunately, I didn't consider how she would get out of it when we were done, and we had to tear it in order to free her.  In sixth grade, I made my first real outfit by hand, without a machine, and actually wore it to school the next day.  Although I was showered with compliments from my friends, a seam ripped in the middle of the day and I had to call home for a pair of jeans.

 

Throughout the years, I continued to make clothing for myself, my sister and my friends, and later, my children.  When I worked as an attorney in New York, I took evening fashion design courses at Parsons, in the back of my mind knowing I would one day make the segway to a fashion career.  About a year ago after not having created anything for a some time, I had a few hours free and made myself the burlap and silk chiffon halter I had filed away in my head for a while, but hadn't yet put together.  I wore it to a party that evening and several people asked me where I had bought it.  By the end of the night, I had taken orders for and promised to make fourteen halters.  As garment construction clearly is not my strong point, I found a group of very talented people to produce the pattern and manufacture the tops.  From there, Ellery's Sisters was created- with inspiration from my oldest daughter, Ellery and her two sisters, Julia and Nikki.

 

Jill Raymond Saluck