Our Story
Our story began in 2015 in a small garage in Regional South Australia. With only one desk and next to no free time, Ashlee's passion for unique design and collaboration brought the vision to life and the Ashlee Lauren brand was born.
Humble beginnings
"It was always going to be a hobby, something that started out with making things for friends while I looked after my baby". Ashlee and her Mum Chris started making bridal accessories together, and soon had a store on Etsy.
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
In 2017, Ashlee Lauren took her Millinery and Jewellery to New York Fashion Week. The beginning of a brand and big dreams.
KESHA at the grammy awards
Working with the amazing Samantha Burkhart, Kesha wore an Ashlee Lauren crown to the 2018 Grammy Awards after party. As seen in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, The Daily Mail and Entertainment Tonight. We also worked with Poppy for a double page spread in 'New York Magazine'.
A'EL ESTË WAS BORN
The Brand
In 2020, we decided to take the brand global - to do that we needed a new name. Something that encapsulated our journey and future.
We then introduced A'EL ESTË to the world.
(A'el) Pronounced 'A.L' or (ay-el) which stands for Ashlee Lauren
(Estë) Pronounced 'Estay' from the name Ester which is Persian - meaning 'Star'.
This represents the transition from humble beginnings of Ashlee Lauren to following your dreams - our future in A'EL ESTË.
Quality first
Our products bring together the finest materials and stunning design to create something very special. We believe in quality, care, and creating unique products that everyone can enjoy. Colourful, creative, and inspired by travelling the world, each product represents what we love about the world we live in.
We hope they'll inspire you too.
Meet the team
Ashlee Kalantarian (or Ashlee Lauren) founded A'EL ESTË and is head of Design and Director of the Company. Ashlee studied Graphic Design and loves all things creative. Don't ask her to be in a photo though, she prefers to be behind the scenes.
Alex Williams is the smiling face at the front of house and the one you'll hear from if you have any questions. She is an absolute joy, so you're always welcome to jump on an email and ask her about anything from styling to orders. Need something in a hurry? She loves chocolate!?
Stacey Paltridge is not just any Executive Assistant and Wholesale Manager - she's an absolute all rounder. A perfectionist with everything she does, Stacey is always on the go and manages to juggle 100 tasks at once. You won't see her in any of Alex's reels - she's also one to stay BTS.
Kellie Nobes is the talented designer behind our branding, socials and overall in-house marketing. A qualified Fashion Stylist, you will have seen her in all our amazing photoshoots and has been in the A'el Fam since its inception.