Elizabeth Gillett Ltd Biography

Elizabeth Gillett Ltd's Biography

It all started with a lost scarf...

Elizabeth Gillett, trained as an artist and printmaker at Hartwick College, was unable to find a replacement for a favorite lost scarf, so she made her own. Within months, her scarves were being sold at Barneys, and soon after, she was running a full-blown accessories business out of her fourth floor walk-up studio, selling to stores like Neiman Marcus. Sixteen years later, Elizabeth Gillett Ltd is a well-known accessories and knitwear company – designing, manufacturing and distributing a full line of contemporary scarves, hats, belts, wraps, jackets and ponchos.

Sold in department and specialty stores worldwide, including Henri Bendel, Barneys Japan, Neiman Marcus, Anthropologie, and Holt Renfrew, Elizabeth Gillett accessories stand apart with their unique juxtaposition of unusual fabrications and materials such as perforated boiled wool, felted silk chiffon, hand-crocheted silk mohair, and laser-cut suede. Hallmarks of her collections are feminine scarves in luxe fabrics such as chiffon, velvet or chantilly lace, complete with airy ruffles, delicate trim, and detailing; macramé capelets featuring elaborate floral motifs and beading; and intricate knit floral accents. Testimony to the brand’s noteworthy style and trend-worthiness is its regular appearance in top magazines such as Lucky, British Vogue, In Style, and Bazaar.

2005 marks a new direction for Elizabeth Gillett Ltd. Not only has the 12-person staff recently moved into a sun-filled 3,600 sq ft showroom at 242 West 38th Street, the company has entered into two new categories – jewelry and sportswear. Borne out of Elizabeth’s passion for experimenting with and mixing fabrications and materials, these new ventures are natural extensions of the core brand. Textile-based, the jewelry collection is bold and unique, joining together unusual elements such as oxidized hardware with delicate knit flowers or printed chiffon with macramé covered balls. On the other hand, the sportswear collection presents intricate knit tops featuring keyholes and beaded detailing, as well as beautiful chiffon ones in unique prints which echo Elizabeth’s past as a printmaker. Both lines will debut for Spring 2006.

Elizabeth Gillett lives in Tribeca with her husband and daughter.

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