Ella Pritsker is a well-known fashion designer of elegant and timeless custom couture whose clientele reside not only in the Mid-Atlantic region, but all over the globe. She partners with women seeking everything from executive couture to wedding gowns and special occasion dresses to everyday fashion and haute couture as found in her latest signature performance line. Her philosophy: “We want our clients to shine, look beautiful, and feel confident in how they look.” She adds, “If we can achieve those goals, for just one moment, that is our true joy.”
Happy Clients, Happy Team
Karen Hornig is a loyal client who expressed that exact sentiment. Karen had been looking for a mother-of-the-groom dress with little luck. When she heard about Ella’s talents, she scheduled a meeting, and shared a picture of a couture dress she hoped that Ella could replicate with some additional custom elements. Ella worked closely with Karen making suggestions regarding fabric, embroidery, accessories on the shoulder, and other subtle touches. Karen ecstatically reported results: “The dress was a smash! I felt like a million dollars. Everyone complimented me on it – it was perfect!”
Another enthusiastic client, Cindy Howton, consulted Ella to design her wedding gown. With a wedding scheduled to take place at Congressional Country Club this September, Cindy had a design in mind and an accompanying photo showcasing her inspiration. “Ella selected the lace and other materials for the dress. The quality of her work is magnificent, and she went above and beyond in designing my gown with such attention to detail.” She is currently designing Cindy’s rehearsal dinner dress and her “going away” outfit that she will wear at the end of the evening.
Ella and her team strive for perfection while exceeding the expectations of their clients. It’s no surprise that Ella’s reputation continues to soar as an award-winning custom couture designer.
Ella’s History – How it All Began
Pritsker has an inspiring journey coming to the United States from Russia more than 30 years ago with little money and belongings to her name. It is her irreplaceable background experiences, however, that influence her designs. While waiting to come to the United States, she was in Austria and Italy where she met three “Old World” European dressmakers who introduced her to the world of high fashion. Each taught her a piece about the fine art of hand-stitched custom couture. She took those practices, mastered them, and opened her own shop in 1997. Since then, she has risen to another level as a noted couture designer who has dressed powerful women including well-known political figures.
Ella’s New Adventure
During the height of the pandemic, Ella, like so many couture designers, had to pivot from her usual designs. After months of working 18 to 20 hours a day making masks for hospital workers, she realized that the golf clothing she normally wore was extremely uncomfortable when she was working. She revisited an idea that had been percolating for many years in her mind – designing her own performance line. The idea for her new line had a twist: She decided to design performance attire that women could wear throughout the day and, except for a quick change of shoes and accessories, wear on the golf course or tennis court into the afternoon for client meetings and into the evening for cocktails, fine dining, or other special events. As everyday fashion, the material for the line needed to be sustainable, recycled, and a high-quality performance fiber. Ella found the perfect material, even during the height of the pandemic’s supply shortage, and began production in her Timonium, Md. office.
Ella contacted Dorothy Lierman, the Director of Retail at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, who shared sound advice with her about selling a high-end line of luxe, comfortable attire in her shop. Ella was inspired by a painting hung at Nemacolin. She took no shortcuts. She contacted the artist, Claire Hardy, and collaborated on a design with her for the new line. She utilized the color palettes in the painting, consisting of gray, black, white, and pink in a custom-printed fabric, along with basic solids for the first collection.
In June, Ella held debuted her new line EPC Style by Ella Pritsker with a trunkshow at Nemacolin. The resort began selling her performance line in their Laurel Lane boutique and their Mystic Golf Shop. EPC Style has been so well received that Ella has had to replenish orders three times. Dorothy notes that Ella is known for her quick turnaround on orders, filling them almost as fast as she gets them. That means long days for Ella and her team – thankfully, they have EPC Style to keep them comfortable and stylish while hand producing their inventory!
EPC Style was born to empower the women who wear it, and designed to ignite the passions of those who craft it. Style to reimagine the way we all live, work, and play.
“She Makes the Magic Happen” – Dorothy Lierman