Sign up for our newsletter!

Santiago breeds with local fashion designers, and in the past two years their number has skyrocketed, together with the fashion fairs (ferias) where they usually sell their creations.


Photo courtesy Ella la Bella

Among the countless ferias happening in Santiago, the Ella la Bella brand stands out for the quality of its shoes and the baroque edge of its creations. Ella la Bella initially featured mainly handmade, low- heeled boots made with patterned fabrics that seemed to have been stolen from an ancient spirit’s house curtains. The truth is, those curtains are what really inspired visual artist and photographer Maria Jesú Ossa García to start her own line of shoes.

Photo courtesy Ella la Bella

“I started out just for fun. I was really into ancient-looking gross fabrics like those I would see in my grandma’s sofas and curtains, and I thought I’d love to be wearing those patterns on myself,” said Maria Jesú of her foray into designing. Maria Jesú then found a very skilled craftsman to produce what she had in mind and before she knew it she was forced into business by the increasing demand for her products.

Not long after, Maria Jesú and her sister Maria Luisa , a fashion design student, decided to open their own store to sell their line there. The décor of their store completely expresses the Ella La Bella aesthetic. Rose-colored changing room curtains , an oversize crystal chandelier rescued from Maria Jesú’s grandmother’s garage, colorful shoes lined up next to vintage jewelry from Argentina,-- these details all contribute to convey a sense of beauty centered on elaborate patterns and vintage strokes .

The sisters’ business venture has really paid off, and they have decided to further develop their collection with a line of clothes. They debuted their new clothing line two weeks ago at the Bazaar Dominico, their feminine pastel summer dresses, high-waist harem pants and Winter jackets making a memorable impression on the crowd.

Photo courtesy Ella la Bella

Beneath Maria Jesú’s blonde, model-like features and angel face hides a very determined designer who knows what she wants and how to get it. Her line of clothes takes inspiration from the great women of the history, with each piece taking the name of the woman who inspired it.

Like many of the great women of history, she is willing to take big risks in her pursuit of big results, like opening her store right in front of the Alto las Condes mall.. She says of her choice, “People can find tons of clothes in the mall. But I provide a design that is exclusive and that they can’t find there.”

But her proximity to the mall has only helped, not hurt her so far, as mall customers wander to her store attracted by the climbing roses she strategically placed in the balustrade of her second-floor balcony. Overall, it actually seems that David is benefitting from Goliath’s closeness.

Ella la Bella can be found in Gilberto Fuenzalida 185 local 124 (2 floor) and in the following stores: Imagen Bou (Valdivia); Bendita Seas (Puerto Varas), tienda Ogus (Barrio Lastarria Stgo Centro), and from the coming summer in Philipa (Osorno) and tienda Ossada (Las Brisas and Santo domingo).

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: 99093790- 82346541
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ellalabella

Ameriga, who comes from the sunny Mediterranean island of Sicily, has landed in Santiago after spending the last ten years studying and working between Tokyo, London, Naples, Bissau (yes, in Africa) and Yangon (yes, in Burma). Through her travels in Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America she has had the chance to witness how women dress with totally different styles, influenced by ethnicity, climate, culture, work and access to resources. These experiences and her innate Italian fashion sense blended together to form her unique urban-ethnic-chic style. She is our special envoy at fashion events and our fashion consultant. You might spot her on her white Vespa as she whizzes all over Santiago.