About us
OUR STORY
Hi, I’m Fern, iOLa & eFFi’s designer in chief and family CEO. I have been designing clothes for over a decade, having moved from my native Ecuador to the UK to study an MA in Fashion Business Management in London.
I come from a very "machista" latin culture, where I was constantly standing up against toxic traditions, where a strong woman that has a career (like me) wasn't seen as skilled, intelligent and confident by their male counterpart, but seen as arrogant or bossy. Even more so if you were financially independent. But I had seen my mother's example of resilience and constant uphill battle to feed and educate 4 girls after she divorced my dad. So I learned from her not to give up, and fight for my rights to BE and be heard. Because of my amazing mother, WE (my 3 sisters and I) grew up as a team, all for 1 and 1 for all.
I knew that I wanted something different than staying in my home country, and so I searched for an opportunity to see the world outside my small town of Guayaquil. That is how I found the opportunity to study a MA in London, and after applying for a scholarship amongst 333 applicants, I was the chosen one!
With a big jump for joy and journey across the Atlantic, I knew somehow I was in for big changes to my life ... I met my amazingly supportive and loving husband, who sees me as an equal partner in love and life, who has lifted my spirit and believes in me, sometimes more than I believe myself.
I made my amazing collaboration network and am now on the mission to realise my dream and own a successful clothing brand. My Drive, My Life, My Reasons have all come from strong female role models and supporters that lift me higher than I thought I could ever go... and we keep going. This is why I believe in the power of women, of working together, lifting each other up and helping one another. This is the way I want to raise my daughters, with the believe that they can be whoever they want to be. Striving to break the pattern of what is on offer in the clothing industry for girls. To empower & inspire, we will perspire; BUT WE'LL BUILD AN EMPIRE.
I was driven to launch iOLa & eFFi because every day I witness a glaring gap in the girls’ fashion industry. I have two daughters of my own, and while they love princesses and butterflies, they are also bold adventurers that love building, creating, and exploring. And sadly, there aren’t a lot of clothing options for girls who love these things. So, inspired by our amazing explorers Iola and Effi, who are courageous, creative, and tenacious, iOLa & eFFi ltd. was born, because they deserve to show the world how amazing they are. And I intend to help them and girls everywhere do just that, through conscious clothing that expresses their individuality. We are a family for change, a family for choice, and a family full of character. And the family business iOLa & eFFi Ltd. represents that. We hope you love it as much as we do.
“Our brand brings a small world of big possibilities, because when kids feel great in their clothes, everything is possible.”—Fern, CEO of iOLa & eFFi
REINVENTING GIRLY
The iOLa & eFFi brand seeks to change the conversation about what it means to be a girl through trendy clothing with positive and empowering social messaging. From superheroes to dinosaurs and from space exploration to mining, girls have interests beyond butterflies, princesses, and sparkles.
And not that there’s anything wrong with that, our girls love a tiara and pink tutu with a unicorn, but its options that depict reality that they need. Clothing sends a powerful message about who we are. And for kids, this is especially true. But in today’s clothing market, girls options are woefully limited and frustratingly gender stereotyped. Our girls are more than pretty in pink: they’re pretty powerful and pretty smart and the clothing choices available to them should reflect that reality.
EMPOWERING GIRLS THROUGH CONSCIOUS CLOTHING
PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILDHOOD TO BE FAIR!
@iOLa & eFFi we are taking a stand against mainstream children's clothing market by giving our girls clothing options that tell them they can like whatever they want to like and be whoever they want to be. We believe that our children, and especially our girls, deserve better when it comes to clothing choices. They deserve clothing that tells the world who they really are, what they really like, and how their intelligence is more important than their pretty faces.
That’s why our clothing features fun and exciting alternative themes. When girls see more of these types of images in their lives, their confidence in themselves, their interests, and their abilities grow. They know they are smart, they know they have options, and they know their interests matter.
So check us out and help empower girls to embrace their individuality and curiosity through clothing that makes a positive statement.
HIGHEST QUALITY AND COMFORT
Our clothing is not only made of the highest quality products but are also comfortable with growing space, no tight skimpy fits here please!! We have also considered our girls' modesty with a lengthened back for all tops. Our clothing allows girls comfortable options no matter how active they are, and our fabrics are digitally printed to retain amazing details, treated to keep the colour looking newer for longer and run true to size.
Our collections are balanced between prints and basics, which provide flexibility for mixing and matching. Some items are reversible to give you and your little whiz kid many clothing combinations to choose from, and our lines include 2-packs of leggings that feature one print and one solid pair.
With many new themes, collections and designs with the summer and autumn styles already in the design studio pipeline; we are confident that there will be many options your girls are going to want to have, so why not sign up and stay in touch with our production and new lines as soon as we release them.
Any members of the iOLa & eFFI movement could also get pre-sale exclusives. Nothing else for us to say but THANK YOU for reading this page and supporting the movement by visiting the website. We can't wait to hear from you on our social media outlets @iolaandeffi on Facebook and Instagram, much love to all, Fern & Owain, Iola & Effi and a little wave from Enis, the newest brother in the movement.