Maison M’Elise

Designer Maaike Elise Stofferis works with you to draw out your perfect dream dress. The dresses are then handmade in the atelier in Rotterdam. Maison M’Elise collaborates with local women and artisans for this but works with volunteers and foreign-speaking artisans. In this way, the label aims to bring different cultures and techniques together in their unique designs. 

The bridal label also uses materials produced ethically, mostly from European producers. Maison M’Elise builds long-term relationships with its production partners to ensure good social conditions.

Maison M’Elise is committed to using sustainable and high-quality materials in its designs. Therefore, the brand researched the sustainability of fabrics, beads, yarns and buttons itself. The variety of designs and the unique, custom-made dresses mean that Maison M’Elise uses specific materials, always in small quantities. This complicates the sourcing process, preventing the brand from being 100% sustainable. 

By purchasing materials directly and locally from different producers, Maison M’Elise ensures that the materials are of high quality. For example, the brand uses hand-blown, vintage glass beads from Paris, Moroccan gold thread and hand-painted 3D flowers from Bali. Besides Lyon lace, Maison M’Elise also designs its own lace! The brand collaborates with the museum in Tilburg to have the eco-friendly lace specially produced.

Maison M’Elise lets you shine in a unique and sustainable wedding dress on your special day. Unfortunately, the brand does not score well on circularity because wedding dresses are often worn only once. Because Maison M’Elise dresses are custom-made and made to your wishes, passing the dress on to someone else is also more challenging.

Maison M’Elise makes the dresses from their workshop in Rotterdam. Much of the materials are sourced from European producers, but several fabrics come from India, Morocco or Bali. Despite working closely with their suppliers, this ensures that the brand still has a long supply chain.

Due to a lack of information, COSH! we can’t provide an overview of Maison M’Elise’s animal friendliness.

Maison M’Elise will work with you to design the dress of your dreams. This way, each dress is unique and made especially for you. The sustainable materials and loving handwork make Maison M’Elise perfect for a bride who values the look of her dress and its impact on the environment. From the delicate lace to the intricate patterns of sewn-on beads, every design element is made with care and attention to detail.

Maison M’Elise creates unique dresses of the highest quality. In doing so, the brand likes to take inspiration from different cultures, which they effortlessly combine with references to classic Dutch master painters. You can also visit this Rotterdam label for a special kaftan, sari or colourful party dress. They also offer dresses for bridesmaids, mother-of-the-bride or other festive occasions.

COSH! visited the Maison M’Elise atelier and spoke about their operation and sustainability with designer Maaike. The small scale of the brand makes it difficult to be completely transparent to the outside world, so a lot of information is missing to form a full picture of sustainability. Still, Maison M’Elise is pushing this, and you can always ask questions about the brand itself. Even while designing your wedding dress, Maaike is happy to give you a look behind the scenes in the atelier!