Elena Velez

INTERVIEW AND PORTRAIT BY OLIVIER ZAHM PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLA NEWMAN Greenpoint-based, Milwaukee-born fashion designer Elena Velez works to decentralize America’s fashion narrative. JOE VAN O, STYLE NATALIA MONTERO, MODEL ISAAC DAVIDSON AT DISTINCT ARTISTS, HAIR MICHAELA BOSCH AT BRYANT ARTISTS, MAKE-UP ANDREW CURWEN, STYLIST’S ASSISTANT OLIVIER ZAHM — Elena, you’re based in Greenpoint. How would you describe your space? ELENA VELEZ — The space is a converted warehouse storage unit. My partner is a painter, so he takes over a bit more of the established studio space. And I’ve kind of snuck in and created a little atelier back here for myself. OLIVIER ZAHM — Where you do everything: the drawing, the research, and some production, too? ELENA VELEZ — Yes. This is the professional outlet for the brand here in New York, but I also work very closely with a lot of collaborators from the Mid-west and Milwaukee. This…