E3 Journey
Rushmita’s Journey
Rushmita’s life changed forever when her father, Dr Shamsul Alam, suffered a stroke during a surgery in 2008 that left him paralyzed in a deteriorating state for the rest of his life. This was the start of her journey to understanding what it means to cope with having a loved one affected with a physical disability.
During her Master of Design program in Inclusive Design at OCAD University from 2014, Rushmita was exposed to a wonderful community of designers, including her mentor Dr. Jutta Treviranus. She applied her learning to combining accessibility and fashion in innovative and creative ways.
Mana’s Journey
The idea of easy design that lasts resurfaced in Mana’s personal life came from growing up with a relative with hidden disability and understanding: the importance of feeling the need to be included. Later while recovering from a shoulder injury, she realized how difficult it was to put clothes on every morning, and thought of the millions of people that go through something similar every day.
After graduating from University of Arts of London in Fashion Design Management, Mana learned to reshape boundaries between fashion and function after specializing in Universal Design. She realized her work could have a positive health impact on people and on the planet. Introducing simple but thoughtful ideas in fashion design to make life easier for all is her continuous goal.
Research
In Summer 2018, the team spent time travelling from New York City to Montreal to research and develop the brand. We interviewed candidates to inform our user-centered product design and development.
Home
The Toronto Fashion Incubator became e3 Koncept’s first home under the mentorship of Susan Langdon. Working there alongside other local and talented designers continues to be an essential part of our company’s creative development.
Product Development
Our goal is to continue to create a superior product based on customer feedback by constantly pushing our designs to better fit our demographic and their needs. Qualitative research and extensive trial and error is a big part of our process as a clothing line.
e3 Team
The journey towards creating an inclusive brand would be nowhere without the strong team of builders and supporters who have personally invested time and effort in the brand – e3 loves you!
Zarene Sepehripour – key support in marketing and brand management.
Belal Ahmed – helps the company with production and manufacturing abroad.
Afruza Alam – coordinates visits and event management in Toronto long term care homes.
Spirit Synott, Dancer, actor, and visual artist – inspires e3 Koncept and assists with design development.
e3 Koncept would also like to acknowledge: Jutta Treviranus, Sambhavi Chandrashekar, Clint Gaudry, Minoo Sikand, Nancy Xia, Alexis Pastuch, and Pathy Deguia for their insights along the way.
And interns from OCAD, George Brown and Seneca for their help.
Meeting the Makers
e3 partners with ethical factories around the world who share our vision of creating quality products made in a safe and friendly environment while being eco-conscious. We have personally visited each facility to ensure that these standards are being upheld. We are proud to work with factories that support women, elders, and people with physical disabilities by providing them with transportation, daycare centres and health care.
Beautiful Inside Out – Our Soft Launch
The e3 soft launch was held at Castleview Wychward Towers, a City of Toronto long-term care home. Residents, caregivers and the staff were all excited to participate in the fashion show, and it was a great experience for the brand to receive first-hand feedback on the quality and function of the samples used.
We’ve Got You Covered
2020 – a year that is going to be remembered for the impact it had on every aspect of life. The world gradually shut down, country by country. Students stopped going to schools, work from home became a norm and local businesses took the hit.
The outbreak of the virus threw multiple challenges for businesses to find a way to sustain. As a brand that takes pride in being truly Canadian, a sudden sense of responsibility sank in giving rise to our “e-ssential” range of designs.
As entrepreneurs and educators, we saw this outbreak having a negative impact on our very own students. Hence, we decided to give them an opportunity to work with us for a purpose. We started with the e-mask, and today, 6 months later, we are at 5 different range of products designed to help one stay safe in this new world.
Each e-ssential product has a unique feature, serving a specific purpose. Comfort and functionality serve as the foundations of design conception and there on, each piece is hand-made with love and care. These products are designed for the entire family – yes, we’ve got you covered.
So far, it has indeed been an exciting 2020 – a bigger team, introduction of a new range, a formidable online presence, a strong customer base and a new studio!
A year that taught all of us to stop being afraid of what can go wrong and start being positive about what can go right. We are grateful to all those who have helped us grow this year – our team, our customers and our families who stood by us all these months.
Watch this space to know next about what a day in e3’s studio looks like.
