“I believe that clothing should improve your life”: How designer Lilli Jahilo is forging the future of made-to-measure design

“I’ve never wanted to do anything else in my life than to be a fashion designer,” says the Estonian fashion designer Lilli Jahilo. “I’ve always loved to draw and I loved picking up flowers from the meadows, giving them to my mum… I’ve always noticed beauty even when I was a very small girl.”

Established in 2010, the designer's namesake brand is now known for its quality craftsmanship and utmost attention to detail, but the designer faced scepticism in the beginning. “When I told everybody that I wanted to pursue studies in fashion design at uni they were like ‘Oh my god, it’s impossible, you will never get in’,” Jahilo says. But she was adamant about proving everyone wrong, putting in the time and effort until she got accepted to Oslo National Academy of the Arts Fashion Design course. “The background I got in Oslo was quite academic,” she says. “But it really laid the foundation to knowing what proportion, structure, form and colour scheme are. These are the basics of creating great design.”

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Following her studies in Oslo, Jahilo pursued a Master’s degree at the Estonian Academy of Arts, while also fine-tuning her skills at Lesage, the iconic embroidery atelier of Chanel. Upon graduation, she nabbed the coveted Young Designer of the Year Award. “Then, I started getting all these commissions and just a lot of interest,” Jahilo recalls. Upscale Finnish department store Stockmann even picked up her collection, where her pieces “sold pretty well.” It was time for Jahilo to set up her own company. “That was like 14 years ago, so it [my company] has been a part of me forever – I’ve never done anything else in my life,” Jahilo says. “I really love the craft of making, and I’ve always been very dedicated to the quality and just creating a really great product.”

Over the last decade, Lilli Jahilo has maintained its popularity with its timeless silhouettes, meticulously crafted garments using the finest fabrics, and the brand’s unwavering dedication to sustainability. The importance of having an eco-friendly label was already instilled in Jahilo during her studies in Oslo, and it’s an aspect she’s included in her operations ever since. For instance, Lilli Jahilo’s made-to-measure pieces are tailored to fit the wearer immaculately, increasing the garment’s longevity. What’s more, working with bespoke designs minimises the need for excess fabric while reducing waste. In 2020, the brand also launched the Lilli Jahilo Preloved initiative, where it sells second-hand pieces from the label. “I really believe in the fact that clothing should improve your life,” Jahilo says. “It should add value to your life and ideally also not be a burden to the world.”

While previously, purchasing made-to-measure pieces required a visit to an atelier, Lilli Jahilo has brought the concept to the digital age with the possibility of ordering bespoke garments from the comfort of one’s home. Upon realising they customised around 80 per cent of their orders, it felt natural to have a made-to-measure feature included in their online store. “The majority of women tend to think that, especially designer brands, do not cater to individual body types – it’s a very strong prejudice,” Jahilo says. Debunking that belief, Lilli Jahilo’s clothing can be crafted for all shapes and sizes. Having begun her career only by making custom designs was the perfect base for Jahilo, as she “learned so much about women’s figures, what it is that they expect from clothing and what they do or don’t want to emphasise.”

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Devoted to creating garments that will empower their wearer, each Lilli Jahilo piece goes through a rigorous design process. For Jahilo, inspiration can be sparked by virtually anything – it could be something she observes or experiences. Then, it’s time to start drafting. “I feel like the brain works differently when you get to actually sketch,” Jahilo says. “So I sketch a ton of ideas, everything I think is interesting. After that, I select the styles that work.” The ones that make the cut are sent to the project manager, and the team moves on to Jahilo’s favourite part, which is working on the samples made of toile at this point. This is when they play around with the pieces, trying out different forms and shapes. Once the final versions have been decided, the garments are crafted using their intended fabrics.

For Jahilo, producing her designs is akin to a sculptor creating a masterpiece. “I’m a firm believer in that every part of the process has got to go with the flow,” she says. “The tailor has to love it and the seamstress has to love making it, so the pieces really have to have a good energy.”