"I ALWAYS LOVED GETTING DRESSED UP," SAYS PAMELLA PROTZEL SCOTT.
LONG BEFORE SHE BECAME THE DESIGNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR BEHIND ELLA MOSS, THE LOS ANGELES NATIVE WAS CULTIVATING HER OWN UNIQUE SENSE OF STYLE. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR HER CLOSET TO BECOME A MAKESHIFT ATELIER WHERE FRIENDS WOULD COME TO PERUSE HER ARRAY OF VINTAGE, HANDMADE AND CONTEMPORARY CLOTHES.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, SHE STUDIED GRAPHIC DESIGN AND REALIZED HER TRUE CALLING. TRADING PRINTMAKING FOR PATTERNMAKING, PAMELLA ENROLLED AT THE FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING IN DOWNTOWN LA, AND IN 2001 SHE CO-FOUNDED ELLA MOSS.
"PEOPLE OFTEN WANT TO KNOW WHO ELLA MOSS IS," PAMELLA SAYS. THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS THAT THE NAME COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF HER NICKNAME (ELLA) AND THE NICKNAME OF HER CO-CREATOR, MOISE EMQUIES (MOSS).
WHILE ELLA MOSS MAY NOT BE ONE SPECIFIC PERSON, SHE IS THE MUSE, AND A LARGE PART OF PAMELLA'S VISION FOR THE COLLECTION.
"SHE'S A MODERN BOHEMIAN. SHE TRAVELS THE WORLD AND FALLS IN LOVE EASILY. SHE LISTENS TO FEEL-GOOD MUSIC AND DRIVES WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. SHE SHOPS AT FLEA MARKETS AND THINKS A BEACH VACATION IS THE BEST KIND OF VACATION. SHE SMILES EASILY AND LAUGHS A LOT-OFTEN AT HERSELF."
AND SHE IS, OF COURSE, THE GIRL WHO KNOWS HOW TO DRESS UP A TEE AND DRESS DOWN A DRESS.