Men with impeccable style and taste are not
uncommon. However, men who are able to take their eye for fashion and showcase
it on themselves with confidence and poise is pretty hard to come across,
especially in a city like Chicago where fashion is still not the hottest
commodity. When first meeting local Chicago fashion designer, Elijah Runako, you’ll
notice his hats, uniquely patterned button-down shirts, and rings all over his
fingers, and that’s when it’s pretty clear he has his own style and is not
afraid to show it. His home is an exact replica of his personal
style: from the sleek layout to the silver glass vanity where he creates his
art. With his new collection dropping July 15, I sat down with Eli to talk
fashion and his clothing line.
Q: When did you begin designing?
Well the idea sparked in high school. As a person who was always culturally inclined with fashion, I would just doodle images in my notebook randomly. But, I actually started designing with the intent of creating a clothing line last year. I started off with private sewing lessons and then slowly began to bring my ideas to life.
Q: What was your start in fashion?
My start in fashion was modeling, but I just wasn’t passionate about it. I modeled for this South Korean magazine called "Cracker Your Wardrobe." I’ve also been featured in several newspaper and online publications.
Q: What is the meaning behind Runako?
RUNAKO is something that is very personalized in a sense that it's actually my name. Therefore I am a direct representation of the RUNAKO brand and the creative avenues that we plan to produce. But, to give a more simplified answer, RUNAKO is art.
Q: Who are your biggest influences?
The everyday person is my influence. The everyday Chicagoan, the youth. That’s where I get my inspiration.
Q: Some of the best talent has come out of Chicago and is continuing to do so to this day. Would you say growing up in Chicago a big part of your art?
Yeah, definitely. That’s where I got most of my influence from.
Q: Whom can your clothes be seen on?
My clothes can be seen on everyone, with the exception of kids because I haven't embarked upon that journey yet. But, 90 percent of my apparel is unisex. I don’t have separate men’s and women’s lines, it’s just one line and anybody can wear it.
Q: Who is your dream person to dress?
Not to sound cliché or predictable, but my dream person to dress would probably be Kanye, but only because I know that we would have conflicting ideas and visions, so to me it would interesting to anticipate the outcome.
Q: Where can people buy RUNAKO clothing?
For now, people can buy my clothes from my online website at runako.co. Hopefully in the near future, people will be able to purchase RUNAKO from local boutiques in Chicago, or maybe even a RUNAKO clothing store (fingers crossed).
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring designers?
My advice to any aspiring designer is to always believe in your vision, and to follow through with strategic planning.
Q: Where do you see your brand five years from now?
I see my brand appealing to a larger demographic of people. I see my brand in New York Fashion Week. I see my brand much more relevant in the fashion world than what it is today. So overall, in five years what I see for RUNAKO is progression.
Q: How would you describe RUNAKO ?
I hate to categorize or even put my brand inside of a box. So an efficient way to describe RUNAKO is through one word: limitless
Q: What's your creative process like?
Anything in my everyday life can spark an idea. I find it that I'm most successful by just letting ideas flow to me. It’s kind of like a subconscious trajectory. It’s like I'm always in the mindset of innovating fashion, and I'm always thinking about new and original ideas.
Q: What does fashion mean to you?
That’s simple. Fashion is art, and I am an artist.
Q: Do you think it’s important for an individual to have his or her own personal style?
That’s a hard question. I think it can be important, it just depends on what your life is about. I feel like it only has as much meaning as you give to it.
Q: Not a lot of men are comfortable or familiar with fashion; do you have any style advice for men?
It’s not about what you wear; it’s how you wear it. It’s about the confidence factor and what makes you feel comfortable.
