Stella Thomas Designs: Statement Maker - 405 Magazine

Stella Thomas Designs: Statement Maker

The head-turning couture fashions of Stella Thomas Designs.

Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander

Through her Stella Thomas Designs, Alice Stella Thomas-Kelsey has become a fashion ambassador for Oklahoma. Her incredible felting work won “Best in Show” at the Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and she has gained an international following through her high-end gowns, wraps and jewelry. Wherever she goes, she shares this message: Oklahoma has fashion.

Thomas-Kelsey grew up in Malaysia, where she studied at the International Academy of Fashion and Design – the only fashion school in Malaysia to be affiliated with the Paris American Academy – before living in various cities around the world. She and her husband moved to Oklahoma 15 years ago when he took an oil and gas job. We recently connected with Thomas-Kelsey to learn more about her range of life experiences and couture designs.

Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander

Describe your work.

My work is very classic, and it’s elegant … I want people to have pieces that, you know, they walk into this room, and it’s a “Wow” piece. I have to train my clients — especially here, being so conservative.

 

I know you’ve designed pieces for Gov. Mary Fallin and several Miss Oklahoma title holders. Do you have clients outside Oklahoma?

I have clients all around the world from being and living overseas. I was in the expat community in Bangkok. I was also a member of the American Chamber of Commerce, and I was the president of the Malaysian Club, so I met a lot of diplomatic spouses and diplomats and people from the Senate and all that. So I just have their measurements, and they’ll call me and say, “Hey, Stella, I’ve got an event.” … I work on it, and then I ship it to them. That keeps me busy.

 

Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander

 

Where do you find inspiration?

My inspiration comes from everything I see: people, flowers, trees, sheep. I like to use a lot of stuff that’s right in front of me. I try to take that piece and see what I can do to create something more fabulous out of it.

Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander      Model pictured: Nataly Kay

 

How do you design a bridal gown?

When the brides come, they have an idea in their head of what they have been dreaming of … What I do is listen to what they want. I sketch drawings to present to them, and then find out the budget, and then we work on the fabric. So this dress is made for you … It’s nice to create something to be part of their happiness.

 

How did you start designing jewelry?

I like bold, big and bold pieces, and I couldn’t find them anywhere, so I just decided to just make for myself, you know. And then everybody was like, “Where did you get that?” And I’m like, “I made it.” So it became one piece, then two pieces — that’s how my jewelry started. I work a lot with horn and bones and things that I can get around here. It’s a statement piece that completes your look.

 

Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander

 

Tell me about your latest work.

The last piece I finished was a huge wall art which is all made of sheep fleece. It’s about eight feet by 10 feet. So you can either drape it on your bed, or you can hang it on the wall. I have a customer who bought it, and she said, “It’s too pretty to be on the floor,” so she draped it on a baby grand piano.

 

Photo by Charlie Neuenschwander

See more Stella Thomas Designs pieces online at stellathomas.com