About Me

HOT MESS BY ELIF was founded in 2023 by textile designer Elif Erdem. Elif Erdem graduated from the Textile Design Department at Dokuz Eylül University, specializing in weaving, print design, and textiles.

The brand was born from the idea of creating not only a product with yarns, but also a fabric and a pattern from the very beginning. For Elif, knitting and yarn are more than just techniques; they are one of the freest ways to play with form, surface, and expression through thread.

The name HOT MESS represents a conscious departure from the pressure to be perfect, the pursuit of flawlessness, and the idea that everything must be neat and orderly. Instead of clean, smooth silhouettes, the brand embraces complex, powerful, and commanding forms. Each piece is less concerned with looking perfect and more concerned with existing, taking up space, and making itself visible.

The production process consists of pieces made by hand, using hand-knitting and crochet techniques. The collections are divided into two main categories:

Made to Order: Pieces produced upon request, allowing for personal adjustments and custom adaptations.

Ready to Wear: Pre-made pieces offered in limited quantities.

Sustainability sits at the center of the brand’s production philosophy. The designs are mostly created using leftover yarns, while patterns and forms are planned in a way that minimizes yarn waste. Every yarn is selected with care, with quality and texture as priorities. Cotton and wool-blend yarns are preferred whenever possible; in some designs, synthetic fibers are used in a controlled way when required by the form of the piece.

HOT MESS BY ELIF is not only a clothing brand; it is a spirit, a form of expression, and a stance. Inspired by grunge, rave culture, and the sense of freedom associated with the 2000s, the brand is designed for people who do not hide their bodies, identities, or presence.

Someone who wears HOT MESS is someone who is not afraid of self-expression, does not feel obligated to fit into norms, and uses style as a personal signature.

The aim of the brand is not to belong to a single geography, but to create a universal language — one made visible through yarns, textures, and forms.