From a young age, Adella Zeller was interested in the arts.
“I’ve been drawing since as long as I can remember,” said the Powell River-born fashion student.
To culminate her four-year program in fashion design and technology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Zeller will showcase her clothing line at BC’s biggest student fashion show in Richmond.
Zeller, who grew up in the Myrtle Point area with five sisters and one brother, is poised to graduate from the program this May after unveiling her fashion collection: Partial Objects.
“My mom raised us all, so I had a lot of women in my life,” she said.
As a feminist, Zeller said her clothes are designed with women in mind.
“They are for women who are active during day, so they are comfortable, with stretch in the fabric,” she added.
According to Zeller, her fashion line is largely inspired by her mother’s character.
“It’s inspired by bold women,” she said, “and I’d never seen my mom shy away from anything.”
Among her inspirations for style, Zeller credits the look of the ’80s, adapted for the local climate.
“The outer wear is water-resistant, because it rains so much on the coast,” she said.
By the time she was in grade 12, Zeller’s six siblings had moved to Vancouver Island.
“I knew I wanted to leave and find work on the island,” she said.
For a few years, Zeller pursued horticulture, working as a gardener and cashier in various garden stores. Later, she worked as a camera assistant on film sets, loading film, cleaning equipment and measuring parameters of a given shot.
“I was the person who clapped the stick at the beginning of the scene,” she said.
In pursuing her career, Zeller said she wanted to do something creative, but be paid reliably. Living in Vancouver, she felt drawn to issues and work related to mental health.
“We were on welfare growing up, living in poverty,” she said, “so I was aware of mental health and related issues.”
Zeller became involved with Portland Hotel Society, a non-profit providing housing and other services to individuals who are poorly served in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community.
“I was hesitant to go into that field, because I know the work can be intense, but the pay was good for the background required,” said Zeller.
After 15 years of working in the mental-health sector, Zeller said she felt ready for a change.
“It might seem like a big jump from mental health to fashion, but for me they’re related to who I am and where I come from,” she said.
Zeller studied fashion arts at Vancouver Community College, and later at Kwantlen.
“I learned not just how to draft and sew, but also things like Photoshop and Illustrator, which helped provide that bridge to industry,” she said.
Kwantlen design instructor Shirley Calla said Zeller’s background can be see in her work.
“Adella brings a depth of life experience to her designs that enriches her creative process and is evident in her resulting graduation collection,” said Calla.
While her immediate family is no longer in Powell River, Zeller said she does still have a few uncles living in town, and a number of friends.
Powell River artist Kerensa Haynes met Zeller in 2004 when they were both living in Vancouver.
“She’s a multitalented artist,” said Haynes, “and one of those people who is a natural when it comes to style.”
Talking about her long and varied career, Zeller said it can be hard for creative people to find and settle in a career path.
“Many people go toward security, and that’s important,” she said, “but it’s also important to find a career that keeps you curious and interested, and to seek that balance.”
