“The Little Engine that Could” is an American folktale which was published in 1930. It is a story used to teach children about the value of optimism and hard work. 

Almost a century later, we are writing another Little story.

“Buy less, choose well, make it last.” These words may have been uttered by Vivienne Westwood but could very well have been voiced by clothing entrepreneur Eileen Tay.  Petite, polite, principled and spirited, Eileen is the designer behind the brand Elizabeth Little that makes playful vintage-inspired outfits and accessories for little girls and more. 

The images on the website and Instagram posts are a delightful bouquet of pastels, florals, smiles and joy.  But the brand’s hard knock principles and uplifting values impress me more as I sat down and listened to Eileen, over sips of iced kombucha, one hot afternoon.

“I always worry about wastage,” shudders Eileen at the thought of scrap or any discarded excess.  At the core of Elizabeth Little is this strong zero-waste principle and she has crafted a brand beautifully inspired by this.  

“In my family, I don’t like buying 10 items for $1 each. Better to buy 1 item worth $10.  I teach my kids to take care of their things.  I will buy them 1 pair of shoes for the academic year and only replace the shoes when they no longer fit,” she says. “You want to buy that? I ask them.  That is equivalent to 10 packets of chicken rice! You may want it but you don’t need it.”  Eileen was just warming up.

Before Eileen created Elizabeth Little, she was a pastry chef. “I love making things by hand, and appreciate that things take time. Even then, I was always concerned about ways to use leftover materials. Wastage has always been an issue for me.”  

“I once went to Bali and when we drove around I was just so shocked to see mountains of clothes and rubbish. People may believe that one person can’t make a difference.  But I believe it is possible,” states Eileen optimistically.

It is no surprise that words like timelessness, hand-made, craftsmanship and heirloom are part of Elizabeth Little’s vocabulary.

The brand was conceptualised by Eileen and her husband, Chong Yew Hong. They chose the name of their middle child Elizabeth who was “little” when she was born. Elizabeth weighed a mere 2.6kg. Her husband suggested the striking brand visual silhouette of a little girl.

Originally, the couple thought of selling fabric, having fallen in love with Liberty designs, which she discovered in Japan.  The internationally renowned floral print fabric from British store Liberty dates back to the 1890s.  The Liberty print archive has well over 45,000 designs and their fabric is used widely for clothing and accessories, such as scarfs and hats, and is also applied on household items like cups, trays and even water bottles transforming these into objects of desire.

The couple discovered that there was little interest to buy just fabric and few people have time to sew.  But Eileen loved to sew and used to make dresses for her daughter and then friends started ordering, too.  A pop-up event selling children’s clothing in 2016 confirmed that there was interest and demand.  To this day, Eileen does the smocking of Elizabeth Little’s beautifully crafted dresses.  In the evening, after her children have gone to bed, Eileen works lovingly until midnight.  So intricate and feminine are they that you imagine the dress could transform pretty little girls, cloaking them with proper manners and good cheer.

Writing this piece, I suddenly remember certain outfits from my childhood.  Looking at old photographs, I recall how my mother used to sew party dresses for my sister and myself, dressing us exactly the same way.  There was an abundance of bright colours, rickrack, ribbons, lace trimming and, yes, smocking on the bodice of our dresses. We received pretty hand-me-downs from cousins, too. I do believe that dressing us this way made us appreciate the finer things in life.

When Eileen started her business, she was influenced by the practice of the couture world where pieces are “made to order.”  When she was a pastry chef, the store beside her shop sold couture. Her neighbour went on to lend her a seamstress and sewing machine and advised her to “only make a few pieces.”  

“I very much subscribe to ‘slow fashion’ vs ‘fast fashion’,” says Eileen. Elizabeth Little dresses are mainly made-to-order, ensuring the fit and choice of floral design are personalised, and there is no overstocking.  This way, clothes are cherished and timeless. Little girl dresses can be passed down to relatives and friends.  Women’s dresses, like cheongsams, are elegant classics.

Now on its 5th year, majority of Elizabeth Little’s clientele is domestic.  Outside Singapore, Elizabeth Little exports to Japan and, more recently, to France, which has overtaken Japan in revenue terms.  I was not surprised, given the well-behaved French children I used to come across in Catholic churches and restaurants in London and New York.  They were always very well-dressed and well-mannered.

Approximately 90% of items are manufactured in Singapore.  Many companies have approached Eileen offering to manufacture for her, which could bring about a cost advantage.  

“But my first question is: can you send the production offcuts back?  I even offered to pay for this. The answer I get is, ‘No, nobody would do that.’”

What does Eileen do with the offcuts?  “I am always thinking of ways to upcycle the balance fabric.” 

She looked out for a social enterprise that could convert production offcuts into practical items.  She found Mustard Tree when she was watching TV one day, and rang them to see if they could collaborate. 

Mustard Tree is an organisation of artisans with special needs who operate as apprentices under careful guidance. They create products that are then sold. Supported by customers, patrons and volunteers, the money raised provides a dignified living for the artisans.

“At first when I approached Mustard Tree, I had a different product in mind.  But learning from them and discovering what skills they were good at, we decided to make scrunchies and laynards, which could be used for masks.  I have gotten to know the different workers: one is great at sewing straight lines on a sewing machine, another is fantastic at threading elastic into the sewn fabric and another one is wonderful at folding, ironing and pinning the logo,” shares Eileen. 

 “I really enjoy working with Mustard Tree.  It gives us a lot of purpose. I want my own children to be socially inclusive so I have brought them with me.  I told my son, ‘These kids are special, and you see how gifted they are at their specific tasks.’”

Fortunately, initial batches of the Mustard Tree x Elizabeth Little collaboration were sold out and scrunchies and laynards have become permanent items.

As we talk more about fabric, Eileen educates me on the compatibility of fabric and skin. As one who experiences skin eczema, she learned the hard way that polyester and other synthetic fabrics leave her skin with a rash.  Natural fabrics such as cotton and linen work much better for her: “my skin can breathe.” This consciousness has given Eileen even more purpose. 

“It is a matter of educating the customer.” Linen, for example, has evolved so much and there are different grades of linen marking its quality.  Interestingly, for men who buy clothes less frequently but more deliberately than women, there are better quality linen garments.  

“My mother’s generation didn’t wear linen; in those days it was very rough and prickly,” says Eileen.  “I made a sample and asked her to try it and she was so afraid to put it on.  But after she did, she loved the feel and shape and said, ‘Please make this for me.’”  Expect to see more linen products from Elizabeth Little.

I worked as a marketer for almost 30 years.  I remarked to Eileen how impressed I am with the coherence of the Elizabeth Little brand.  It has strong beliefs and values.  Fundamentally, since it abhors wastage, it encourages people to invest in beautifully crafted, ethically made classics and pass them on.  The brand is intentional about caring for the environment.  It sources responsibly and each item is made with care and purpose.  Elizabeth Little has a nurturing, feminine persona that honours tradition, crafts by hand, and encourages intergenerational social connection.  This is the look and feel I get when I see the brand’s carefully directed photography, when I read its rhythmic prose and listen to client feedback.

“I want my children to embrace these values, too,” enthuses a grateful Eileen. “The business enables me to pass these down in a tangible manner because they can see for themselves.” 

Aged 8, 6 and 3, Eileen’s children were recently involved with a Buy 1, Gift 1 mask charity project.  For every sale of a charity mask, Elizabeth Little donated another mask to a child in need. 

“My children were involved in the process – packing, sealing and stacking the masks. We explained to them why we are packing so many.  They came with us to the drop-off at hospitals.  The business has enabled me to teach them things that can’t be taught in books,” beams a proud Eileen.

I asked Eileen what the immediate future holds for Elizabeth Little.  She was highly successful at Singapore Boutiques Fair and multiple pop-ups for many years but is now thinking of having a more permanent physical space.  “We need to give our customers a good brand experience and access to our made-to-order practice.”  

Because of the pandemic, I believe people have become more mindful and deliberate about buying clothes.  “Purge and upgrade,” my husband often encourages me. I can’t wait till Elizabeth Little opens its shop and I can go and get a cheongsam made especially for me.  Maybe it will even give me some good manners!

The story of Eileen Tay for Elizabeth Little was suggested by a reader.  Thank you @heymikki for making the introduction!  

Roxanne | ws

Follow @elizabethlittleco  www.elizabethlittle.co