Elvies

We did a colour correction and worked with the idea of contrast for my beautiful cousin yesterday.

We yarned about parenting, families, Christmas and what our life plans are.

has always been a visual curator with her style and I love collaborating on her hair colour ideas!

I’m loving experimenting with colour and new techniques for curly and tight textured hair that focus on individual style, lived in colour and maintaining scalp health!

❤️

Goldilocks blonde curls. A full head of foils and a shape up for Mariam 💛

Auguvara aiaina means good morning in Wedau language. I use my mother tongue to greet my community to demonstrate my pride, my cultural identity and to remain rooted in my homelands.

I will be working a 4 day week beginning next week and would like to invite you to come home for your hair.

My new hours reflect a decision to find balance, to practice rest and to allow time and room for healthy habits and activities that nurture my soul and honour my core needs.

These new hours also help me balance work and life as a solo parent to an almost 4 year old spirited and energetic girl named Kemiannah.

Please respect that these working hours are when I am one on one with clients and to stream line communication please contact me via email and I will respond on Mondays to answer questions and/or queries.

*please note that unless it is in an email, I might miss your messages, texts or DMs.

📧 [email protected]

Please book via the link in my bio ❤️

Egualau kaua/ Thank you,

Ella

I’m coming back home, literally. It feels a bit like the story of The Alchemist, I went on a long journey only to find that what I was looking for is right here, home. I’ve figuratively been digging through the sand and the treasure that reveals itself is me. My hands, my heart, my purpose and my space.

The thing that was special about Elvies Studios was that it was ours, owned and run. A place for BIPOC curly and Afro community, a place that we could take up space in and not feel observed.

There’s so much talk about inclusion, about creating accessibility and I agree, but for me, this needs to be done through my Learn Elvies Education that I continue to develop. Watch this space. 2026 is going to be about sharing knowledge.

This year was about transition. About finding our new home, about finding the new me and in turn the new iteration of my business.

I will now be working from home and have created a salon in my front room, looking out from a gorgeous balcony onto a leafy street in St Kilda.

I want to invite you to experience the new Elvies, another home for community, another safe place to share your hair story and to have your whole families curls cared for in a healing and comforting environment.

There will be access to my extensive library, mainly books about Hair, Oceanic Art & Culture, Poetry and Womanhood.

I also use the front room as an Art studio, I hope that this inspires your creativity when you visit!

Hijab clients welcome. We are one on and one and in a private setting.

Unfortunately no wheel chair accessability, however we can organise a home visit if that suits you. Please email me to organise.

All services and prices will remain the same, the location is the only big change, and maybe the basin service, but we will do our best for now, there will always be small upgrades as we develop the set up and you already know the head massages are still top tier.

Bookings are open from November 5th via 🔗 in bio.

Egualau kaua / Thank you,
Ella & Frizz 🐈‍⬛

*You might see Kemiannah and my Mum Elvie every now and then and the huge garden out the back will be available for clients who want to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air!

Choose happiness. If even for a moment. Accept yourself. The way that you laugh and hold yourself.
You held yourself and you kept going. You can do it too. Even for just one moment, give yourself rest. It’s a cruel and horrible world that we currently live in, we are trying out new ways to prepare and protect our children from this honest truth. Lead with love, beginning with loving yourself. Love your crown, your portal to the spirits, our ancestors, your angels, our higher selves. Go there in the sun, flow with it, pick out your hair. Love yourself first and then you can love others. And, in loving others first and feeling the glow of your love is also your strength. Do it. Love in what ever way is possible. Love those around you, there are gems in your street, upstairs and downstairs and in other suburbs where you once lived. Remember there is love and life all around you because you are loved and are love. If only just for a moment. ❤️

Lo ples / At home.
41 today.
As I look back on this year, one theme continues to allure me and haunt me, place. Where do I, did I, can I find myself, and in turn my child and then of course my community? The people who make up those places affect the way that I feel, think, move. The meaning of being grounded to a piece of land or lands, new beginnings in new places, old places revisited and the feeling of homesickness, when you’re away from home, don’t have one, find one, realise it isn’t what home is for you, then settling into a fairytale of wooden doors, blooming gardens, ceiling high windows, orchids smiling, birds of paradise brilliantly placed. Home they say is where the heart is, mine is in my body, is what made my daughters. It’s in my mother and it’s in Murulabena and Dabena. It’s in the shape of the mountains it’s in the mirror you look back at me in, the shine of the stainless steel, the curve of the chair, the softness of the couch, the curl of your hair, home is where my art lives, place is not seperate from me, it helps me to feel well, stabilises me, it’s the pillars that hold up my roof. The four walls that make a space, place is the sound of chaos and laughter, it’s the look of exhaustion and the skin that’s been burned by northern hemisphere sunshine and it’s the oceans glare. Place is hearing your voices in harmony, it’s fairy lights, it’s Malaria and mozzie bites. Place is in my Afro, comb, pick, me. Out. I’m 41 today and I am knowing my place. Lo ples, at home.

Thanks to the wonderful team that gave me grace and love and thanks to Mum for the new pics of Milne Bay. I’m so glad that you are home, my birthday gift.

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Shot at home in the shared garden, St Kilda, Eden Mansions.

I’ve been reflecting on the deeper meanings, design concepts and the decision making that created what we see today as Elvies Studios branding and visuals.

The typeface and font was designed in collaboration with an exceptional artist who customised the letters to reflect the patterns and symbols of my armband tattoo.

Bold, curvy, strong and sharp.

I received this tattoo from who was exhibiting at The Australian Galleries, Federation Square in 2012. It was a live demonstration and the matriarchal energy was very much felt that day.

I didn’t know at the time that this marking that begun as a Lime Pot design would then shape shift into the logo of my business and also be in my mother’s name.

Honestly, these connections, pathways, rivers and curls all wove, braided and tangled me to be right here, right now, caring for your hair.

Everything has meaning if you look and listen close enough. Spirit and ancestry guides you there.

➰➿➰

Happiest of Birthdays to my Mum & Brother Will. Grateful for both your lives, the impact that you both have and the love & care that both Kemiannah and I receive from you both!
May this next year bring you joy, happiness, health, peace and abundance ❤️🫂🥰

Hello to my beautiful curly texture community,

I’ve been working with Charlene to create a service list that could potentially be the prototype for what EVERY salon should be offering for EVERYONE in every space! This is revolutionary, this is alchemy.

I invite you to check out my current offerings with their new pricing and let me know if you have any suggestions? Or if you think it’s a good start?!

We are but in our infancy on this continent when it comes to natural hair, Afro & curl styling and care and after working hard for three years alone, it’s amazing to be collaborating with the best, the most driven, talented and kindest team.

Book your appointment and enjoy the conditions that you have always deserved. This could become your first steps to the natural hair goals you’ve been chasing your whole life. I’m still learning too.

Egualau kaua,

Elvies ❤️