Elegantees

Katie Martinez (maiden name Behnke) was top of her game as a Production Manager for a fashion company in New York City. Yet the fashion line dream was itching her, and moved back to Iowa to pursue it. She set up a "warehouse" in her parent's basement with $10,000 saved up. That doesn't seem like a lot to start a clothing line, but she was no longer paying rent, and it helped having relationships with factories in New York. During this time, Katie couldn't stop thinking about an intent she had while a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. When introduced to human trafficking awareness in a class, her heart broke learning that girls are abducted and sold as commodities into prostitution. Katie vividly remembers her cry out to God while sitting on a campus bench feeling hopeless for them, wanting to help. Now, with having a business, fashion could make that difference! The profits from Elegantees would benefit a non-profit that is fighting sex trafficking. Elegantees fights sex trafficking in Nepal. We employ restored women to sew our designs. A spin off of the words “elegant” and “tees,” Elegantees makes elegant and stylish fashion of quality jersey knits, as easy to wear and wash as a tee-shirt. They are created to restore modesty and dignity. Elegantees are as easy to wear, wash, and style as a tee {a fashionable tee!}. Our Mission: To provide hope to overcomers of sex trafficking in Nepal. A positive source of income that reinforces independence, a healthy self-image, and confidence restores lives one elegant tee at a time.