Èlon Kebede (photo by Jim Barcus)
Kansas City designer and entrepreneur Èlon Kebede was recently named executive director of the Fashion Arts Fund. Her appointment was spearheaded by the fund’s previous director, Jennifer Lapka, founder of Rightfully Sewn (now a subsidiary of Alphapointe), who described Kebede to Startland News as a force “who thinks and acts with incredible foresight and character.” The fund, previously known as the Kansas City Fashion Council and renamed two years ago, supports Kansas City designers with scholarships, workshops and mentorships.
Kebede herself benefited from the Fashion Arts Fund’s mentorship program, which enabled her to work with designer Tisha Mitchell, and she is a big believer in its merits.
Kebede brings international knowledge of the field, as well as entrepreneurial savvy, to her new position. In October 2022, she launched ÈLU by Èlon, a business specializing in evening and bridal wear, in Kansas City, Kansas. Within six months she debuted her first full collection at Kansas City Fashion Week and was subsequently invited to showcase her designs at a charity gala in Dallas and at New York Fashion Week. The following year she participated in Omaha Fashion Week.
“My designs aren’t just about looking beautiful; it’s about wearing something that feels extraordinary, that feels emotional, and creates memories,” Kebede said in a recent interview.
“Personally, my obsessive attention to detail, the sleek silhouettes with a touch of drama, and designs that tell a story: for example, this past collection, ‘Diaspora,’ showcased a marriage of my upbringing — Ethiopian heritage, growing up in America, infusing Ethiopian fabrications with Western silhouettes.”
Kebede’s characterization of the ÈLU by Èlon customer is a reflection of her self-image: confident, radiant and unapologetically herself. She enjoys timeless elegance but isn’t afraid to throw in a spicy edge to keep things interesting. At heart is the understanding that “fashion isn’t just about what she wears — it’s about how she shows up in the world.”
Kebede’s trajectory into fashion began early. “My love for designing started at the age of six,” she said. “My mother would make our clothes … and I was hooked since. (I would) watch my mother sew clothes, curtains, pillows, you name it. I remember the first time she taught me how to thread a needle and tie a knot.”
As a child Kebede would redesign old clothes into new garments. Her passion was clear, but the arts were not really an accepted career path in her Ethiopian family. In her first year at school, she hid her field of study from her parents, but when she finally made her stand, they backed her fully.
Kebede’s first internship was with African Mosaïque in Ethiopia, where she learned technical drawing, fabric sourcing and Ready-to-Wear under Ana Getenah. She moved from there to Brother Vellies in New York, founded by Aurora James. She added e-commerce, shoes and handbags to her repertoire. Nardos Design, headed by Nardos Imam, in Dallas, expanded her scope into couture and bridal.
“I found all three of these internships vital in shaping who I am as a creative and designer,” she said. Along the way she taught sewing skills in the Dominican Republic and became conversant in computer-assisted design, noting “Technology nowadays has made it accessible to learn new techniques at the click of a button!”
Her internships also instilled Kebede with the importance of giving back.
Although fashion is her passion, “my heart for children is greater,” Kebede said. “My true desire is to create and open schools in Ethiopia.”
