Eleni Tufa Brings a Bold New Vision to Ethiopian Traditional Fashion
By Faisale Shefawe
Published on 05/05/25
On the border of Alexandria County and Falls Church City in Virginia, a bustling area has emerged, where Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants, coffee shops, clubs, and lounges line every corner, creating a vibrant scene that almost resembles a little Ethiopia, just a mile away on South George Mason Drive. Inside a building called Fashion Zone, a few entrepreneurs are following their passion for fashion, style, and accessories. One of these entrepreneurs is Eleni Tufa, a fashion designer who is bringing new, classic, and elegant styles to Ethiopian cultural clothing.
Growing up in Ethiopia, Eleni’s curiosity about fashion was sparked by a tailor who worked in a tent just a few blocks from her house. She watched as people from the neighborhood took their clothes to be fitted, redesigned, or sewn. Soon, she began taking her mother’s and her own dresses to the tailor, asking for updates to make them more fashionable. With no money to pay for her new hobby, she made a deal with her mother to cook lunch in exchange for tailoring services.
At the age of 14, Eleni moved to the United States and began attending Taft High School in San Antonio, Texas. During the beginning of her sophomore year, she learned about a fashion class from a classmate and immediately enrolled to learn more about fashion and design.
By the time she moved to Virginia with her family in her senior year, Eleni was certain she wanted to pursue a career in fashion design. After researching colleges with strong fashion design programs, she chose Radford University in southwestern Virginia.
At Radford, Eleni elevated her skills in fashion design by learning how to make patterns, understand color theory, composition, and digital tools. Before attending Radford, her knowledge had been focused solely on sewing.
In her senior year, Eleni made a bold decision to focus on traditional Ethiopian clothing. Her vision was simple yet groundbreaking: to design traditional Ethiopian fashion that could be worn any time and every day, not just on special occasions. She began incorporating Tilet—a decorative element traditionally woven into Ethiopian fabric—into modern, everyday fabrics.
Just a few months before graduation, Eleni received an incredible opportunity to return to Ethiopia for a three-week internship with renowned fashion designer Mahlet Afework. There, she gained firsthand experience of how modern designers approach their craft. “They are bold and confident,” she says. “I learned a lot from Mahlet and her ambitious team.”
After graduation, Eleni began testing her designs by selling them outside Ethiopian restaurants, much like the tailor in her childhood neighborhood did. She primarily sold her modern Habesha fashion on special occasions like Ethiopian New Year and Christmas. The positive feedback from the community led her to open her first store in Falls Church, Virginia.
Tufa by Eleni officially opened its doors in February 2024 after a few months of redecorating the space. The store resembles a modern clothing boutique, but customers quickly notice the unique Tilet designs on rich, silk fabrics. Most of the Ethiopian cultural clothing available at her store is crafted from everyday fabrics, making it suitable for daily wear. The only way to distinguish traditional Ethiopian attire is by looking for the Tilet detailing on the sleeves and collars.
For Eleni, 2024 has been a significant year. In addition to opening her first store, she also became a mother for the first time in August. Now, she’s focused on managing her business while raising her son. Looking ahead, she’s determined to expand her brand. Her new website, launching soon, will allow customers to order her designs online and receive them within a short period. She is also planning to grow her team to help manage the business more effectively.
One thing is for certain: Eleni Tufa is on a path to become one of the leading designers bringing traditional Ethiopian clothing into the modern era.