Behind the scenes - Project "Eliett" created by Jessica Valderrama, LCI Bogotá

Published by LCI Education, February 8^th, 2018

What was your source of inspiration for this project?

Eliett began by seeing the need to encourage the use of color through an accessory to a risky garment. For this reason, I began designing purses with bright colors and clean, geometric designs, which is part of the essence that I want to convey.

How was the project created (material, place, etc.)?

Initially, this project was conceived with the intention of designing out-of-the-ordinary purses that were still marketable. After creating various prototypes with synthetic leather, and seeing that the market variety in this material did not suit the purposes of the design in terms of rigidity, variety, and, most importantly, quality, the search began to find a leather that would meet said requirements, as well as explore the possibility of having added value, such as color, since leather gives us the opportunity to design the colors that we need. These are the principal qualities of Eliett.

If you were to do it all over again, what would be the things that you would change?

Mainly, I would’ve started this project a long time ago, since making the decision to start and manage your own brand isn’t easy, but it is a risk that I would’ve been happy to take much earlier. Truly, I wouldn’t like to change anything at all. I think that everything is a work-in-progress. I’ve definitely made some mistakes that have cost time and money, but this is all part of a totally necessary learning process and enriching experience that I definitely wouldn’t want to change.

How did the school/professors help you?

The support began the moment I started studying at LCI. All of the classes, without exception, gave us the necessary tools to start and direct our own projects. Similarly, even as a graduate I’ve had the opportunity to communicate with professors and ask them for advice and consultations that have helped me throughout this process. The school also shows great interest in offering help on each project that we, graduates, embark upon. One example of this is that, thanks to LCI, I had the opportunity to present my project at Colombiamoda 2017, one of the most influential fashion shows in my country.