Today we’d like to introduce you to Elisheva Rishon.
Hi Elisheva, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born Black, Jewish & Orthodox. I grew up in Brooklyn in a world of extreme nuance & complexity. I wasn’t supposed to exist, I also went against the grain of stereotypes that people often have about Jewish and Black people. I spent most of my life trying to fit into whatever box was assigned to me, only allowed to be half of myself 100% of the time. It took me some time to put my foot down so that I could be all of myself 100% of the time. The disconnect from one’s heritage, the way that society can make your beautiful identity seem shameful, ugly & backward— this is something most people experience at some point in their lives. Because of my upbringing, I naturally gravitated toward the Arts as a coping mechanism.
As a Creative, I believe that the key to embracing our heritage can be found through meaningful words, concepts & artwork. Creating a brand that embodied all of these also seemed like the obvious path for me because fashion has always been my most comfortable form of communication since childhood. I noticed at a young age that the clothing I wore would start the kind of conversations I wanted to have. I also discovered at a young age that certain colors invoke certain emotions & the artwork in my designs for my brand incorporates specific colors to emphasize my messages.
I began brainstorming the concept of my brand years ago because it disturbed me that I could not find sayings or artwork that reflected my feelings about my own identity or that addressed issues I cared about. The reason I could not find it was that society wasn’t ready to have these conversations yet. We as a people were not ready to openly discuss Colorism, Jewish Empowerment, Hair texture discrimination, Spirituality, Setting Boundaries & more. These subjects were taboo ( and in some cases, still are).
To me my Jewish identity was deeper than a cheesy Jewish joke & suffering from antisemitism– it’s spiritual, beautiful & powerful. To me my Black identity was more than the slavery narrative & the many years of oppression that Black Americans have endured until this day– it’s powerful, beautiful & joyous. And that’s the energy behind my brand Eli7 Designs. Although my brand started as an apparel brand, it has extended into a bit more. Since its launch in 2019, it has become a vehicle for discussing Antisemitism, Anti-Blackness, Black & Jewish unity, spirituality, empowerment, vulnerability, intergenerational trauma & healing. These discussions happen through my social media content, in articles I write or when I’m speaking at an event, there are no limits to how these important conversations occur. But I still have many more goals that I haven’t accomplished yet with Eli7 Designs.
If you would have told me back in 2016 that this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have believed you. I have customers that buy my items then they send me emails & DMS about their life triumphs, struggles, and how the pieces made them feel empowered. I have had many interactions with disconnected Jews who decided to start lighting Shabbat candles for the first time just because they felt that my brand & my content inspired them to do so. I received emails & DMs from people who decided to start therapy, breaking through the mental illness stigma in their own families. I am so amazed by the progress they have made in their lives and it’s so cool that putting my ideas into clothing sparked something deep in them. We are in a new, wonderful age of healing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It indeed has not been a smooth road since the launch of Eli7 Designs in 2019, I had to overcome two obstacles. The first obstacle I had when I started my brand was myself. When I launched the brand in 2019, I just got out of a very bad long-term relationship, I was living in a new city without a support system & I was struggling financially. I was literally rebuilding myself from the ground up in every shape and form and the birth pains were excruciating. I was drowning in depression & darkness–and that’s when I decided it was time to start my brand. Because things in my life were so rough, I had to create something that would put out positive, empowered energy that could pierce through the darkness. Logically, it was the worst time for me to start my brand mentally, emotionally, and financially. However, it turned out that the worst time in my life was the best time to begin it.
My 2nd obstacle has been managing the balancing act of responsibility with my content. I can’t overload my followers with constant sensationalist negativity or toxic positivity. As a friend once told me, the energy I put out to followers they take in, they carry it in themselves and they pass it on to others in their daily interactions. Daily, I see so many influencers, brands, advocates & activists bombarding their followers with extremely negative content, convincing them that the hate they face is the foundation of their identity. No. The hate we face doesn’t define us–our love, our joy, and our perseverance against all odds define us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What sets my apparel brand apart from others are my diverse collections and my consistent use of original art & meaningful sayings to guide you on your path to embracing your identity positively.
I am very proud of the Isha (woman) Pop Art design. I chose to use the color magenta for the majority of the design because I felt that only one color could properly symbolize a woman. Magenta is a color of strength, unique beauty & spiritual & physical balance. These qualities, I feel, are the foundation of a woman. I placed the Hebrew letters on the design in a way that emphasizes such balance & harmony.
Another design I’m particularly proud of is the Black Woman Magic design (the grown version of Black Girl Magic). I chose to depict her as pensive, with stark black lipstick, a majestic crown of kinky hair, and the galaxy thriving in her hair, her clothes, and her body. She is the whole universe!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My brand Eli7 Designs specializes in creating apparel & content of empowerment, joy, and education. When you acquire something from my brand and when you come to my social media platforms, you will always receive a thought-provoking & well-rounded experience.
What sets me apart as a content creator is my use of education to build bridges between the Black & Jewish communities, my content that prioritizes joy over the trauma & my vulnerability on very sensitive issues. I feel like people can feel my energy & they understand that I don’t want to fight or trauma dump, I want to create & maintain meaningful dialogues between all types of people & communities. At the end of the day, all people are connected and the world is a kinder place if we uplift & love each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eli7designs.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealeli7designs
Image Credits
The last three photos were shot by Sarah Schecker, I have permission to use them and there’s a great story behind this. During the summer of 2020, Sarah reached out to me to offer her services for FREE as her way of paying it forward and uplifting minority voices. It was the most beautiful offer that anyone had ever given me, it literally made me cry. She’s amazing. She’s also a professional photographer that has shot various fashion shows and for many magazines (but she’s based in NY).
