Designer Biography

ElvenDesignArt Studio

* Meet the artist & designer behind ElvenDesign Art:

1. Tell us in bref some information about you, who is Raluca, the young lady behind the brand Elven Design?

Raluca Elf is a young sophisticated girl in an ongoing search of the hidden and fleeting beauty of the wonderful simplicity of this world pervaded by emotions and dreams – an interior and product designer, a complete artist trying many forms of arts and, certainly, the creator of the brand developed by extending the very concept already known as Elven Design Art.

The whole world is a stage, where we are the actors palying our own parts – said Shakespeare, wearing the masks we indulge come up with – instead, I chose, whenever it isn’t necessary to try on the real Venetian mask, to be the bearer of this dear concept of mine – Raluca ”Elf” – yes, the elf from the fairy tale of a midsummer night dream, and from this nickname it stemmed the name I called my brand as well as the style guidelines that point out the art works I am making, inspired by Celtic culture, the badge I coined with the attribute ”elvish.”

I am 29-year-old and I could say I’m an inspired creative artist, with a consistent background, many years of study and hard work within the field of arts, merging with a strong wish of achieving refinement, doubled by single-minded determination and a special gift for displaying an extravagant style through my own unique pieces of craftsmanship. All of these bearing the seal of an exquisite trend of Gothic inspiration and sometimes Baroque, meant to meet the demands of a public eager to experience a newly-issued taste of setting off the great adventure of the senses experience voyage.

I’ve made a rule out of the habit to get up to speed and acquire all kinds of documentation that inspire me and I think I am always up-to-date with the latest novelties in the field of visual arts, as I purchase on a regular basis magazines and revues of interest for me, as well as books and textbooks from my profile (visual art, architecture, fashion, design). All of these are staying for the core of an individuality trying to make most of an inner realm and the outcome comes into life through idiosyncratic works of art – straightly expressed, I have to admit I am that kind of artist who likes to break the moulds and ”rules” without having to make effort, ready to highlight outward her own imagination and willingness to express the feelings and vivid outlook by means of art forms.

Nothing could ever stop me from an ongoing search to overcome the borders, to pass beyond the threshold of the convenience and status quo and that is how I manage to thrive on setting goals and discovering I am fulfilled by developing the techniques which mirror increasingly my style and the materials I use to bring into life my artist desires are mostly parts composing the reality around ourselves – the so-called ”must haves”, such as: coffee, cocoa, music, fantasy stories and SciFi movies. In fact, I acknowledge I’ve become a storyteller who beings about glimpses of fantasy realm to shape them growing into delicate forms of art.

I am keen on astronomy, architecture, future science but also on restoring vintage and antique items.

Each of these spheres-ingredients working as parts that have to merge into an harmonious whole stands for my source of inspiration and it is the very seedbed wherefrom my ideas spring up and the instant they fuse in a magic alchemy, the insight reveals within myself the drive of creating unique and exquisite items and accessories.

2. How was the beginning for you in craftsmanship?

Without any doubt, a great support I have had was the fact I have graduated from the University of Architecture and Urbanism”Ion Mincu”, the Faculty of Interior Design - art & decorations design and furniture design product degree.

The creative and artistic inclination has been fostered since my childhood, when I started painting the walls in moy own room, the clothes I used to wear which had to break the mould of the mainstream or the fads and whims of fashion and besides this, painting my violin, as a matter of fact my first and unique art piece where I got immersed in the daydream of bringing together craftsmanship with the music sound and the glimpses into the realm of elves and fairy winged creatures, richly coloured butterflies and elfin delicate dwarfs.

Generally speaking, all this fertile source of vivid imagination has been activated since the years of my attending the classes of the faculty of design, a special length of time in my life I passed through by living a rich experience – of awareness, emotions and creative parts of my growing up – by taking part in many extracurricular courses and workshops of craftsmanship. It is how I started to prepare my own items for eco costumes exhibition made of recycling materials, dresses and gowns produced in the ikebana technique, clay and ceramics sculptures.

Then, gradually, I made up my mind to have my own ”attempts” of small Venetian masks and also with pieces of jewellery inspired from Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau styles... and all of these resulted in an unexpected success.

It followed my enrolling to the University of Arts, Mural Art- Art in Public Spaces, for my masterate degree. At the time I knew I have settled in my own style and the concept my whole work draws on has been already set up. Hence, all I had to do was to master and refined it, which is exactly my current passion and endeavor.

The Masterate years meant a real help for me as I realised how to improve my working technique and at the same time, enhanced my self-knowledge, that strong faith in the capacity of creating my own style and has driven to get on the spur of this flow on my own way of nonconformist genuine style – in a nutsehell, my own artistic identity.

3. You create a variety of unique items from the range of accessories...

Of course, my Venetian masks are ones of my creations I do love from the bottom of my heart as once I started to craft them it was as though it dawned on me I could write down a wonderful page speaking about a concept forged day and night, endlessly, working and thinking through and throughout these ever brand new models – hundreds, maybe, and each of them wearing a new thought, another heart-felt emotion put into colours, and lace, and feathers or pearls – I succeeded to express outwardly a fleeting mood, an emotional experience, a glimpse into the heavenly light touching the world around me.

I indulge myself in attempting new experience within the art realm and it occurs to me quite often to be asked if it is a single person involved in this craftsmanship behind my items as they are shown up on my site. Yes, indeed, I am doing on my own every single item one could visualize there.

The story goes on and I’d like to mention I have discovered my passion for cutting sculptures shapes figuring fantasy-dolls, which stand for one of the multi-faceted concept ElvenDesign. Further, I developed a real phenomenon among the brides and wedding parties as there is an increasing demand for my fine glass painting on exquisite forms of glasses which adorn the design and decoration for such happy events; then, statement-jewellery, painting for wall decorations made on canvas where I use my own 3D technique and last but by no means least, the domain which made me widely known within the fashion world: headpieces accessories, such as special occasion hats, headwear accessories inspired from different cultures and traditions, fascinators and headpieces – all of them adornments meant to make us pervade the refined world of ”high class” and stylish fashion as well as glamour jewellery to embellish head-look.

I have had my own attempts of trying the novelties within clothing domain as I made fantasy costumes and unique dressing attire hand-painted with parts of nature images and accessorized with semiprecious stones & gemstones, Swarovski crystals, pearls and embroidery applied or sewn onto cloth, silk flowers. This year I intend to launch a clothing collection coming up with a fresh new nonconformist approach... even sparkling lavish and extravagant!

4. Tell us, please, in a few words which is the way a Venetian mask has to follow in order to reach to its final glamorous look?

I use manifold techniques of my own according to the kind of masks I intend to work out: that is, there are decorative masks made of ceramics, Venetian miniature masks or wearable costume masks created especially for carnival and to fit in the attire for fancy dresses, also for actors and actresses on stage and for shows and special theme events.

For all of these categories of masks I use solely unique elements, special moulds to carry out the basis I am to decorate further. The majority of my moulds are achieved by myself over several years of repeated trial and error attempts from resin and latex on purpose designed to shape the patterns of complex mouldings, ingredients mainly used when it comes to refurbish old historical structures and buidlings.

As a rule, I seek to create handling top quality materials and it is not advisable to use plastic or those materials conveying the ”artificial” look.

I use mostly luxury embroidery with silk thread, gems, glass crystals with silver settling mounting, Swarovsky crystals and flowers with a very natural look, made out of sheer silk.

On all these elements I work through handmade pigmentation and painting in special colours embedding within irisations, iridiscent shades and metallic shine which set my own ”seal” of style and make the composition as unitary as possible.

I am craving for making use of nonconformist materials such as twigs, dried flowers, natural resin and vintage items made of copper or brass old-look style... particularly in filligree and parts from old watches.

5. Out of all the range of objects you are making, which ones are mostly in demand on the fashion market?

I could say the most demanded objects are now the  extravagant head accessories for brides, such as headpieces - fascinators accesorized with silk flowers and Venetian masks suitable for theme events.

6. Which is your favourite object out of the whole portfolio you have created until now?

No doubt until 2014, it is the Venetian mask called ”Ice Queen”, which, so far, represents the most complex and a real forwarder among my nonconformist artistic range of objects. It is the one where I succeeded to mix into an achieved cocktail approach the technical side with the aesthetic aspiring drive and the outcome is a sparkle of a fairytale.

7. Every designer has an artist he or she has chosen as role model and that inspires him or her at a certain point. Which is your favourite artist?

Surely and straightforward, it is Alexander McQueen, as I found myself within the unique style displayed by all his creations, inspired mainly by Gothic art and Baroque style.

8.  Which is your greatest achievement so far in the field of art?

I have had many collaborations with artists from musical background, worldwide photographers, television broadcasters and I took part in profile TV shows or mall centres events hence I had the opportunity to present on stage special programmes held there, and also I have been asked to collaborate with widely known publications from the fashion world.

The most stunning and recent feature, too, has been released on the well-known fashion magazine, Vogue Portugal, the April 2014 issue, where the columns showed within its lines my achievements and profile. It is focused on a luxury theme featuring along with famous names in the fashion design as Roberto Cavalli, John Galliano and Valentino, whereas the images of the models wearing my craft headpiece in a ”scene” seemingly echoing the Renaissance old times with an unique piece I have made in my own style, inspired by the traditional „Kanzashi Geisha” head ornaments.

In a nutshell, it is worth mentioing I’m quite proud I have succeeded by my own to express my artistic potential, hard working and letting my imagination to run widely in order to bring into limelight my personal style and to make me known on the international fashion world.    

* Interview about Elven Design Art - source of inspiration:

Where does your inspiration come from?

 It would be very interesting to highlight when and how it all started for me to be so fond of art and fashion in order to explain better where does my inspiration come from.

My passion for art started when I was 5 years old and I had to play a role at the kindergarten: that would be Snow White :) 
My mom handcratfed me a beautiful white dress made from our window curtain and she embellished it with so much love by adding small blossom roses. It was the most beautiful dress I have ever had and ever seen and that memory is still inspiring me to be who I am today!

My inspiration comes especially from my feelings, emotions stirred by nature or my own way of experiencing the challenges of the day to day life and how I project my own perception on the reality of the present (interaction with everyday moments).

I'm being totally absorbed by everything that's magical and beautiful around me I am raving over and in fairness, all  that stands for the historical touch all around present in the city I'm living in, the loved persons that exist in my life and, of course, not to forget my studio which keeps the seal of my style.

Some of my collections are also inspired by my passion for various books I love mainly focused on art, architecture, philosophy, fantasy and SciFi movies, music , nature and worldwide cultures.

For example, I became somehow "obsessed" with flowers and I made some masquerade masks and fashion accessories collections which were inspired by the beauty of flowers and the idea was to emphasize the simplicity and yet complexity of nature.

Also there's a spiritual aspect in my life and all of my creations have a touch of my special focus I do attach to emotions, love, empathy and ethics value.

 If you could take off tonight to anywhere in the world where would you go? What would you do there?

I cannot decide between Canterbury, the UK which is just magical and fascinating for it reminds me all the time about the Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer and the warm English atmosphere of the countryside compelling magic or Edinburgh, Scotland where I felt like home, a fairy-land with poetry, tradition, mystery and real craftsmanship when it comes to art culture.

I guess my first choice would be Canterbury due to its wonderful "tale"-like architecture. I adore the vidid colors and the fantasy appearance.

For sure, I would enjoy lingering over a cup of coffee and some muffins because I adore sweets especially in such a fairy dreamland like Canterbury. The emotions of seeing and enjoying such a place would inspire me in creating a thematic collection.

 Where is that one place where you left a piece of your heart?

Edinburgh, Scotland at a lovely lady called Maureen which hosted me in her 16^th century house while I was visiting the amazing castles and eerie streets. I have to admit I have a passion for historical places which have that touch of magical, eerie and romantic feeling.

I felt an instant connection with the language, the atmosphere and with the Celtic culture... I felt like home!

The Highlands and the castles are simply amazing!

As you can see my brandname, ElvenDesign Art and my nickname, Raluca Elf, are inspired by the elves or rather “elfin” culture which is related to the Celtic one by similar language and similar design in jewelry, appearance and architecture.

 If you could time travel, where would you go? Why?

I love this question and it put a smile on my face..how I wish to travel back in time in....Japan!

I love the Japanese culture and this can be seen also in my make-up style.  It's my personal signature since I was a teenager to have Geisha-style cat eye make-up.

After reading the book and seeing the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" I was impressed by Japanese culture, by the beautiful surroundings with cherry tree blossoms and by the feminine appearance of the delicate Geisha women.

 If you were an animal, which one would you be?

Definitely, a dragon!

It has always been a reflection of who I am and I love dragons with every aspect of their meaning, appearance and symbolism they embody.

8. Where's the "happy place" you take your mind to?

Back to when I was 5 to 10 years old at my grandma's house in which I spent most of my childhood.

She was my spiritual guide who adored and protected me since the day I was born and every second spent with her was a moment full of happiness and joyfulness.

A brief introduction to your brand...

My name is Raluca Elf and I am the designer behind ElvenDesign Art.
I grew up in the Bucharest city, the capital of Romania between modern and vintage, magic and science, a place where history marked the architecture of the city and the shape of life.

My passion for art started when I was 5 years old and I had to play a role at the kindergarten: that would be Snow White :) 
My mom handcratfed me a beautiful white dress made from our window curtain and she embellished it with so much love by adding small blossom roses. It was the most beautiful dress I have ever had and ever seen and that's what still inspires me now!

My first artwork was a canvas painting during my childhood. I won the 1st prize at a national art competition and since that point until highschool I have created lots of paintings as a hobby.
After I finished the classes of the highschool which was , by the way, specialised in mathematics and physics, I made the decision to follow my dream and I enrolled for the University of Architecture & Urbanism "Ion Mincu" in Romania which is one of the most prestigious universities in Europe for this domain.
I also have a Master Degree at the National University of Arts & Design, specialised in design, mural art, graphic design and art for the public spaces. 

After working a couple of years for an architecture company and as a freelancer interior designer I became quite known throughout the country I am living in for my stage events, TV shows, cultural features events and handcrafted masks.

There have been 5 years since I started creating unique jewelry and handcrafted masquerade masks and in 2012, I started working as an interior designer with Baneasa Shopping City in Bucharest and I've had several stage performances about art/design.
In the same year I also started creating unique extravagant accessories for the Romanian singer Muneca, including stage props and custom masquerade masks.

In 2013, I had two TV shows on a national channel holding Art Labs about crafting & art and in the same year I started creating several crystal masquerade masks headpieces for a private party held in Paris, France and custom made religious themed paintings for an old monastery situated in Transylvania-Romania.


In 2014,  I've been featured in Vogue Portugal Magazine next to Miu Miu, Valentino, Roberto Cavalli and John Galliano and started creating wearable art pieces for international artists, musicians and fashion shows.

I usually use mixed techniques for my creations in which I include only high quality materials like: semiprecious stones, Swarovski Crystals, mounted crystals, natural pearls, silver elements,lace and embroidery,16K gold foil, organic-natural elements, leather, filigree and vintage items.

I used to wear a lot of pearl jewelry, flower accessories ( usually real flowers) and delicate lace clothing since little and most probably this is the reason for which I'm addicted of using only beautiful high refined materials and exquisite materials in my creations.

The name I chose for the brand I created: ElvenDesign Art was inspired by my nickname  "Elf" and sustained by my passion for the elvish and Celtic culture.
There is a sparkle of magic and beauty I believe into, in the pale shapes of the elvish world described in books and movies.