About YELO.

Hi, I'm Elodie, the creator of YELO. I started it in 2025 as a way to promote a more sustainable way of living, reconnect with handmade and creativity, and connect with people, using fashion as a medium. It began at my kitchen table in Zürich, taking apart clothes that didn't fit and turning them into something I would actually wear.

It's easy to get caught in a cycle of trend-chasing fueled by social media, where a new look is always just one scroll away, and there's rarely time to stop and ask whether our habits actually align with our values, especially when the impact stays conveniently out of sight. More ethical brands exist, but many people can't afford them, or would rather not spend that much, and even "sustainable" garments still use newly extracted resources to produce. Upcycling and thrifting sidestep that problem entirely by working with what already exists.

A lot of people also feel disconnected from handmade fashion, convinced they're not "creative enough" to try, a mindset that conveniently steers them right back to buying off the rack. YELO. is my way of pushing back on that: looking at a wardrobe with fresh, playful eyes, and treating a worn-out or ill-fitting piece as something to alter rather than throw away. A cutout, a patch, an elastic, imperfections included, can be a small, rebellious act of expression that actually aligns with what you value.

I came to this from environmental policy. Fashion is responsible for 8 to 10 percent of global carbon emissions and is a major source of ocean microplastics, and I've always been drawn to the place where science meets design. YELO. is my attempt to reframe how we talk about living sustainably, using fashion not just as a medium but as a way to connect with people.

Every piece starts from something rescued: vintage tablecloths and bedsheets, industry deadstock, a shirt nobody wanted anymore. Even the smaller components, threads, buttons, zippers, are thrifted, and Zürich has turned out to be an incredible treasure trove for sourcing them.

More than anything, YELO. is an invitation: slow down, embrace imperfection, experiment with what you already have, and reclaim your style on your own terms.

Have a look through the shop, or see what I'm currently working on in Projects.