Estrella Studio
Built around the ethos of mindful living and dressing, this Californian studio has transformed getting ready into a ritual. We sat down with founders, Francesca Elmore and Janae Kennedy to learn more about the brand’s journey including styling tips for Estrella’s gauzy, effortless ensembles.
Estrella was founded in 2020. After a year in quarantine, we aimed to bring back the ritual of getting dressed, and that has been our motto since our launch. The name derives from Salvador Dali’s rendering of the Star tarot card. The imagery struck us initially, but what stuck was its meaning. The star indicates feelings for inspiration and motivation and signifies a calming period of stability following a storm. We felt a connection both on a personal and brand level and instantly knew it was the perfect fit.
Estrella Studio Is: Refined, Playful, Effortless
Most of our initial inspiration comes from creating the pieces we feel are missing in our own wardrobe. The feeling around our upcoming collectsion is inspired by the idea of emerging after a period of rest. Collectively, it feels as though we are all embarking on a period of emergence both individually and as a community. The pieces we’ve designed are made with this in mind. Pieces you can feel refreshed and grow in.
Fashion Muse: Caroline Kennedy for her effortless style. But never not obsessing over Zoë Kravtiz.
One of our first fabric picks was for the Silk Solstice Dress. It’s a premium dead-stock made of 100-percent silk chiffon. We loved how the fabric drapes on the skin like water. The lightweight material combined with its delicate pleating makes the textile so beautiful, but also incredibly hard to work with. It took searching for a local silk specialist who could make our dream dress come to life.
We want all of our pieces to be wearable at any occasion. For something more casual we like to style an Estrella piece with vintage sneakers and your everyday jewelry. And if you’re going out, pair with a strappy heel and a chunky necklace. And for stylish underpinnings, we suggest a high-waisted underwear set or slip. Pansy makes great ones!
Estrella Playlist: Fran became a mom just a month before launch! So mostly rock-abye baby (lullaby renditions of Elton John, Wu-Tang Clan, The Cure, and everything in between) on repeat.
