Chanel Joan Elkayam Young Fashion Designer
We would like to introduce you to Chanel Joan Elkayam. The young designer is 22 years old and has been studying at the prestigious Central Saint Martins for the last 5 years. She is due to graduate from BA Womenswear class of 2020 this June.
Chanel Joan Elkayam is not a designer that simply follows the trends of the day, instead her purpose is to inspire leaders amongst women and create unique, timeless works of art that empowers the wearer. A rising star in fashion, Elkayam has already showcased her designs in four major fashion weeks.
Inclusiveness is a core value of her brand aesthetic and Elkayam does not shy away from doing things differently and channeling her visions through embracing gaps in the diversity of the industry today. A granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, Elkayam is passionate about spreading understanding and acceptance of all cultures and pushing the vision that one should not be restricted in their potential simply because of their origin or beliefs.
CSM students would normally host a runway show in their final year and they would unveil their final collection to the world. This year there is no physical offering. Instead the graduate show and ceremony had been cancelled due to COVID-19 and students were forced to create their graduate collections at home. Instead of 6 looks they have been told to create 2 looks which represent their whole research body and a video which evokes a mood for the collection.
The collections will be shown digitally and Chanel Joan Elkayam’s collection has been made from the confines of her home in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester.
The young designer has collaborated (remotely) with Cristiano Biasciu from L,Oréal to create the hair and Nicky Roberts from Peggy Sage UK for the makeup looks. The 19 year old artisan Daniel Charkow has also worked from Canada over Skype with Chanel Joan Elkayam to create the shoe designs for the collection and the jewellery was created by Tina Lock. The music for her collection mood video was created by Antigoni Buxton, daughter of celebrity chef, Tonia Buxton.
Chanel Joan Elkayam’s collection explores the life of iconic Mata Hari, who is known as the greatest female spy of the 20th Century, she was the main focal point for Elkayam’s graduate collection.
“A mysterious woman, with great attractiveness whose charms ensnare her lovers often leading them into compromising, dangerous situations. Her complex character, self-obsession and sexual chemistry with men in uniform was of great inspiration to me as well as the fact that she is something that she is not.” – Chanel Joan Elkayam
“She was Dutch pretending to be an Indonesian princess / exotic dancer, actually undercover as a double agent/spy for France and Germany. Mata Hari was defying male expectations of that time and chose an independent unconventional life. I researched into the history of underwear, the military uniforms of her lovers, shape, form, power, and the illusional vibes of Mata Hari.” – Chanel Joan Elkayam