It's here! Ellen DeGeneres has been teasing us for weeks with hints about the launch of her ED by Ellen collection (named for wife Portia de Rossi's nickname for her), and now you can finally shop the whimsical home pieces and super cute clothing. The collection, which was inspired by DeGeneres's signature style, passion for home decor, and love of all things comfy, features boyfriend-inspired blazers and knits, dining accessories with mod animal motifs, and accessories embroidered with feel-good mantras such as "Happiness," "Faith," and "Love." We recently caught up with the talk-show-host-turned-designer to hear all about the line.
What prompted you to design your own line of clothing?
I've always found that women’s clothing, especially suiting, is just cut in a way that didn’t feel right for me. When I would find men's suits that I liked, they were too masculine so I would have to have them cut down and tailored. Eventually I started having my own clothes custom made, and people started responding to what I was wearing. A lot of people and guests that were on my show would ask what I was wearing during commercial breaks, so I realized there was this niche that needed to be filled in the clothing market.
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And home accessories?
"Home design has been my passion for a long, long time. That’s what I lay awake thinking about at night more than anything else, so it was obvious that I had to include that in the collection."
Tell us more about how you chose the name!
"Portia has called me ED for a long time, and also my initials, obviously. I didn’t want my full name to be the name of the collection because I wanted the pieces to feel genderless. Any places where "ED" appears on the pieces themselves are very subtle. It was important to me that this line represents everyone, so I just wanted to stick with a simple name."
How did you infuse your own taste into the collection?
I tried to incorporate everything I love, which is design, and my love for animals, and humor and whimsy. I included pieces that are intended to be a little funny without sacrificing style. For example, we have these appetizer plates that have a part of a joke on each one.
For your own home and closet, what are some items you've invested in over the years?
My first furniture splurge was a [Jean] Royère sofa that I got about twelve years ago. As for clothing, I’m into leather bombers. I think the most iconic thing to splurge on is a white button down shirt because it goes with just about everything.
Do you have a favorite piece from the ED by Ellen collection?
That’s like picking my favorite child! It's the hardest thing! I love all the plates because they were Picasso-inspired. I also love the table runner and ceramic pieces from the home collection.
What was your favorite part of the design process?
When I walked in to our offices and saw the finished pieces in person for the first time. There were two models who were dressed exactly like me, and I thought, ‘Oh my god!’ It was the craziest thing to see the types of suits that I wear, the details on the buttons, and the inside lining on the jackets, just like the details I’ve done with my own suits.
What clues would you give if you were describing ED by Ellen in a game of Head's Up?
Stylish. The best collection you can buy. Durable. Da bomb.
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