Ella Titus: Inside NYFW & Building a Fashion House
- By: Meera Rathod
From sewing her first stitches at age five to curating a beloved fashion community on social media, Ella Titus proves that a little whimsy and a lot of passion can turn any day into a runway…
Ever wonder what it takes to juggle a budding fashion label, a New York Fashion Week debut, and a full-on beauty routine? Enter Ella Titus, founder of Vellachor—a brand that melds antiques-inspired nostalgia with modern sustainability. In a behind-the-scenes chat, she shared her makeup must-haves, the stories that spark her creativity, and the one-of-a-kind approach fueling her designs.
Burgeoning from a self-taught passion at just five years old, Iowa-born Ella Titus took to sewing like other kids collect stickers—fully and fearlessly. She eventually traded the quiet of Des Moines for the buzz of Los Angeles, setting the stage for Vellachor’s defining blend of old-world nostalgia and whimsical modernity. That early creative spark still fuels every stitch, connecting the brand’s present-day vision to cherished memories of rummaging through her grandfather’s antique store.
When she’s not buried in fabric swatches and design sketches, Ella leans on a streamlined makeup regimen to stay camera-ready. From the SPF-packed Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (a must for her fair complexion) to the Fenty Beauty Pro Filter Primer, she carefully picks products that let her freckles shine through. Balancing a hectic schedule with skincare essentials is key—allowing Ella to face her jam-packed days feeling both refreshed and fashionably prepared.
Drawing on the wistful allure behind “vellichor,” Ella imbued her label with a deep reverence for timeless beauty—whether it’s in an antique shop or a refined silhouette. That nostalgia beats at the heart of Vellachor’s four guiding pillars (romance, whimsy, artistry, and, of course, nostalgia), woven into each design through thoughtful fabric choices and small-batch, ethically sourced production. It’s a philosophy that ensures every piece speaks to fashion’s future while honoring the enchanting echoes of the past.
Coming off of being knee-deep in perfecting her show-stopping collection, Ella’s days revolved around chasing rare fabrics and fine-tuning silhouettes for her NYFW debut, which you can read about here. True to her “never say no” ethos, she fearlessly melds classical art references with fresh ideas, resulting in pieces that feel both otherworldly and current. By sharing behind-the-scenes snaps on social media, she offers a dynamic window into her design process—one that continually evolves through experimentation and a passion for reimagining the past.
To tie it all together, Ella reaches for a pop of color—from a trusty lip stain to her new favorite tinted gloss—to cap off her everyday aesthetic. Meanwhile, her forthcoming collection hints at a shift toward dreamy bridal elements, a natural extension of Vellachor’s signature romance. Beyond the runway, she envisions doubling down on sustainability and craftsmanship, ensuring each piece remains a collectible love letter to fashion’s past, present, and future.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30: Elemis
$140
The cream that started it all, now with SPF 30. This anti-wrinkle moisturizer with SPF is proven to significantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in just 2 weeks while quenching skin with 24 hours of hydration. Elemis’ hero daily moisturizer provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. It acts as the first line of defense against the sun’s harmful rays and UV-induced premature skin aging.
Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer:: Fenty Beauty
$36
Unlike a basic mattifying primer, Pro Filt’r makeup primer has a cushiony, touch-me-now texture mattifies skin with the lightest-possible feel, for a full-on sensorial experience. And the universal invisipink formula? It’s not just pretty—it creates a filter-like blurring effect and melts instantly into all skin tones without a trace. Pro Filt’r works all day to help makeup last longer, feeling lightweight and comfortable, so you don’t have to worry about your skin—and you’ll be ready for anything.
Dew Beauty Benefit Cream: Evalina Beauty
$50
The long-lasting, lightweight formula brightens the skin with light-diffusing pigments and includes high-quality ingredients and antioxidants such as squalene, grapeseed oil and vitamin E to hydrate skin. Dew Beauty Benefit cream nourishes, protects and moisturizes the skin all day and is easy to apply with our foundation brush or with your fingertips.
Pure Radiant Touch Concealer: Evalina Beauty
$38
Pure Radiant Touch Concealer brightens dark circles and provides long-lasting medium coverage to give you a luminous flawless look. Ideal for all skin types. This soothing natural formula is both gentle and moisturizing, as it replenishes your skin with aloe vera, sunflower oil, rice bran oil and hyaluronic acid plus antioxidants and vitamin E. The built-in brush applicator is perfect for effortlessly applying and blending in the eye area. A must-have in everyone’s makeup kit, this versatile formula enhances the skin’s restorative properties and minimizes darkness to tone down imperfections for a natural finish.
Blissful Moment Dewy Liquid Blush: Sonela
$28
Achieve a radiant glow with Blissful Moment Dewy Liquid Blush. A glide-on formula designed to leave you with a hydrated and healthy-looking finish. Enriched with hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, Vitamin E, and shea butter, it nourishes and protects the skin while giving the cheeks a rich, lasting color.
Tartelette™ Tubing Mascara: Tarte
$27
Tarte’s 1st-ever tubing mascara with micro-tubing technology is like a cashmere wrap for your lashes! It wraps each lash in lengthening “tubes” instead of weighing them down with layers of pigment.
Beauty Sculpt Brow Lift: Evalina Beauty
$24
Your brows will stay groomed and in place all day long. Sculpt is an easy-to-apply soft wax that has thickening and conditioning agents to give brows a soft, flexible hold in one simple swipe. Sculpt visibly thickens your brows and grooms them into place all day. The crystal clear colour is suitable for all skin and brow colours and doesn’t leave any residue or flake.
LIP LINER STAY-N Peel-Off Lip Liner Stain: Sacheu Beauty
$12
Unlike other lip-liners in the market, this long-wear lip liner stain keeps your lips perfect all day and night, without having to reapply at all.
Your Best Self Peptide Light Plumping Lip Gloss: Sonela Beauty
$26
Feel your best self with this high-shine, fully pigmented MAXI LIP™ formula for a light natural plump for daily wear. This hydrating lipgloss is enriched with shea butter, avocado oil, and hyaluronic acid for supreme hydration and line-smoothing softness. Dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic, it works to visibly plump the lips up to 10% with a nourishing blend of peptides—all while staying true to our clean makeup philosophy.
