Vancouver fashion designer ‘thrilled’ after Elle Fanning wears design for Hunger Games press tour

Elle Fanning shared a post to her Instagram account on Thursday wearing a fitted, bold-shouldered ensemble in deep purple and gold.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping star’s look was created by Vancouver fashion designer Evan Clayton.

“Effie X @evanclayton for the after party,” Fanning posted to her social media profile, which boasts more than 7.7 million followers, referencing her character in the film.

The opportunity to dress Fanning, and her accompanying shoutout, has left the local fashion creative “thrilled.”

“I can’t even begin to describe the joy I feel,” Clayton says. “I am a cinephile at heart, there’s something about the mythology of the movie star that really inspires me. This is my first foray into red carpet glam for an actress, and I sincerely hope that it won’t be my last.”

The look came from a recent collection of Clayton’s inspired by 1940s suiting.

“I just love how severe that silhouette is,” the designer notes. “I design at Christine Lingerie, and Christine and I were going through her archives a while back and came across a few scrap pieces of that silk velvet left over from when she had designed with it back in the day. I instantly fell in love with it, and Christine was gracious enough to allow me to purchase that deadstock fabric.”

Clayton set about creating an ultra-tailored two-piece skirt suit from the leftover material. It was a challenge due to the delicate and temperamental nature of the textile.

“Many hours of laborious handwork later, one of my favourite looks from that collection was born,” Clayton says.

The opportunity to have Fanning wear the design came about via a social media connection.

“Elle’s stylist, Samantha McMillen, has an assistant who I’ve been mutuals with on Instagram for some time, Lex Robins. He pitched my last collection to Samantha and they felt it was a good aesthetic fit for The Hunger Games press tour,” Clayton explains. “They selected the suit Elle ended up wearing, I sent it to NYC for a fitting and the rest is history!”

While Fanning’s recent outing represents the first red carpet dressing for the local designer, this isn’t the first time one of Clayton’s creations has been sported by a bold-name celebrity. The designer, who celebrated 13 years of his namesake brand this year, has dressed Candice Swanepoel, Doja Cat and Carly Rae Jepsen to name a few.

The spotlight afforded by such A-list opportunities can work wonders for an independent designer — while also lifting up the country’s fashion creatives, as a whole, according to Clayton.

“Being a Canadian brand, we’re not always taken as seriously on the global fashion stage. I hope that this moment shows the rest of the world that we’re just as chic as everybody else,” Clayton says. “I’m incredibly honoured and humbled to have Elle in my clothing, it’s the most amazing feeling.”