Martha Ellen

Originally from London, Martha gave up her career in advertising to fulfill her dream of creating something of her own. Having studied at Central Saint Martins whilst working she decided to pack up her bags and embark on an adventure by enrolling at ESMOD Jakarta, Indonesia to study fashion design and pattern drafting.
After graduating in 2010 she gained valuable experience working with established Indonesian designers including Ali Charisma and Jeffry Tan. Shortly thereafter she launched her first collection in November 2011, which was sold through specialist designer markets. In 2012 the label was stocked at a leading local retailer The Goods Dept, which has outlets in several of the premier shopping malls. In order to achieve total independence Martha opened her own boutique and design studio in 2013 in a fashionable district of Jakarta.

Martha Ellen designs are handmade using hand woven, individually selected and designed Tenun made by local craftspeople from across the archipelago, influenced by the motif, then translated into a modern piece by Martha’s own style aesthetic.
“One of the key objectives of the brand was to build something that had a positive effect on local communities by creating a vehicle to celebrate their culture, preserve the local craft and make it more accessible to the international market. I like to make a statement out of the Tenun Ikat to celebrate this great art and part of Indonesian culture by using it as the defining component of my designs.”

“My core philosophy is about making a beautifully made piece that has style and edge whilst being wearable and classic.

There are three main areas that I focus on during the design process:
1. How to make the most of the motif or colour of the Tenun
2. What would be a different, or a creative way of using the fabric
3. What silhouettes would be most flattering to a range of body types and occasions.”