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The Company
ELM Design is a fashion design company. Its main focus is to design and produce women’s clothing made of quality fabrics. The garments are designed in Iceland and in Peru and produced in Peru and China. ELM also produces a selection of scarves, leather bags and belts, all made in Peru.
The company was established in January 1999 by three women, Erna Steina Guðmundsdóttir, Lisbet Sveinsdóttir and Matthildur Halldórsdóttir. The name of the company is made from the first letters in the founders’ names. The company owns and operates a shop at Laugavegur 1, the main shopping street in the centre of Reykjavik. The shop was opened in November of 1999. Erna Steina Guðmundsdóttir and Lisbet Sveinsdóttir are based in Reykjavik, where they design the clothes and manage the ELM shop. Their direct touch with customer reaction to designs, production and use of materials has been most valuable.
ELM Design runs a company in Lima, Peru where most of the production takes place. Matthildur Halldórsdóttir is based in Peru, and she takes care of the production management there. Last year a part of the production was moved to factory in China.
History
The most important milestones in the history of ELM are:
• April 2008 – new group of Icelandic investors “Audur Capital” has joined ELM Design Team. Their common mission is to bring ELM Design concept to women all around the world.
• February – March 2008: Fashion Shows in New York, Paris and Los Angeles – sales have increased by 30 %. Fashion-lovers from all over the world are attracted to ELM Design and are impressed by the inspiration from new AW8-9 collection. Many new customers have placed their orders, including stores in Australia, Singapore and Dubai.
• October 2007: huge success of new SPRING-SUMMER 2008 collection at Atmosphere D’Hiver Show in Paris and Coterie Fashion Show in New York. The biggest stores in UK (Liberty, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols) have increased volume of their purchases for the next season.
• September 2007: Famous British singer Barbara Dixon is amazed with beautiful Icelandic Design and places a special order for ELM.
• August 2007: British actress Emma Thompson shows great interest in ELM Design. Her private stylist contacts ELM´s agent in Europe and orders several garments.
• Through the year 2007 ELM Design expands to new markets, starting to sell its design clothes in Ireland, Greece, New Zealand, Luxembourg and South Africa.
• October 2006: SS-7 collection sold to Harvey Nichols in London
• October 2006: A new agent for Europe hired.
• February 2006: AW7-8 collection sold to Liberty and Selfridges in London
• February 2006: First time participation in CPH Vision in Copenhagen
• February 2006: Agent in Denmark
• November 2004: ELM shop Reykjavik chosen as the Tourist Shop of the Year.
• October 2004: 80 shops place orders for Spring/Summer 05.
• 2003: First time delivery to the EU.
• 2002: Oprah Winfrey buys ELM’s designs and wears them on several occasions on her show.
• May 2002: Sales for Autumn/Winter triple between trade fairs. 30 shops place orders.
• January 2002: A new agent in the US is hired.
• July 2001: First time delivery in the US to 12 stores.
• February 2001: First time participation in WORKSHOP NY, a trade fair for a new generation of designers—presenting Autumn/Winter 2001.
• November 1999: Shop opened in Reykjavik, at Laugavegur 1.
• October 1999: Fashion Show on Manhattan, New York.
• September 1999: Agent in New York.
• January 1999: ELM Design established.
The ELM people
Erna Steina Guðmundsdóttir is trained as a textile designer, graduated from Iceland Academy of the Arts with a BA degree. Before joining ELM Erna Steina had a career as a designer of interior pieces.
Lísbet Sveinsdóttir graduated from the Iceland Academy of the Arts with a BA degree and from Kunstfackskolan in Stockholm with MA degree. Before joining ELM, Lísbet had a career as a painter.
Matthildur Halldórsdóttir studied drama in Denmark, London, India and Japan. Matthildur has an MSc in Drama Therapy from New York University. Before joining ELM Matthildur had a career as a drama therapist.
Current CEO is Kristín Ýr Hrafnkeldóttir. She holds a BA degree in Textile design from the Iceland Academy of the Arts, a Master Degree in Management from Pratt Institute in New York and is finishing a Master in Finance from Bifrost University in Iceland. Prior experience includes two years in business at Fleishmann Hilliard in New York and 6 years in Product Management with Össur Ltd, and the Icelandic Telecome.
Chairman of the Board is Arna Harðardóttir holds an MBA from Reykjavik University and has a degree in Business Economics from the University of Reading, England. Prior experience includes 9 years at Landsbanki as VP of Private Investor Services and VP of Fund Management.
The ELM woman
ELM caters to a niche within the apparel market.
The ELM woman has been defined in the following way:
The ELM woman has a sense of cultural taste and aesthetics, is educated, [affluent], holds a bohemian outlook on life—all this resulting in her courageous attitude and independence only seen in women who dare to be who they really are.
The ELM woman prefers to look different, wear something unusual but elegant.
The ELM woman prefers clothes of quality materials and is prepared to pay for them. She can buy a new piece of clothing that harmonizes with the one that she bought last season. She prefers fashion … that is not overly dependent on the strictest trends every season.
Contact
ELM DESIGN
Show-room, Office and Shop
Laugavegur 1,
101 Reykjavík,
Iceland
Office Tel: +354 511 0992
Office Fax: +354 511 0993
Shop Tel: +354 511 0991
elm@elm.is
ELM DESIGN USA
Mark Keller
American Director
14617 Barber Avenue
Warren, MI 48088
Tel: 586 202 00 08
Fax: 253 645 55 08
mark@elmdesignusa.net
ELM REPRESENTATIVE IN UK
Angela Quaintrell
Tel: +44 77 67 75 41 44
By appointment
angelaquaintrell@hotmail.com