Compassion Through Fashion Designer Spotlight, Eli Woolard

At just 13 years old, Eli Woolard made Compassion Through Fashion history as the event’s youngest designer. Design has been part of Eli’s life for as long as he can remember. Long before stepping onto the Compassion Through Fashion stage, he was creating miniature dresses out of unconventional materials like paper towels, gloves, and foil. What began as small-scale creations quickly revealed a natural eye for design, color, and structure.

That talent has been encouraged and nurtured by his Aunt, Christi Rippy, who has supported Eli’s creativity from the very beginning. Together, they turned this year’s competition into more than just a project, it became a shared experience rooted in family, creativity, and encouragement.

When Eli decided to enter Compassion Through Fashion, it felt like the perfect opportunity. While he had designed many pieces before, this was his first time creating a full-scale dress. From his initial sketch to the final runway look, Eli remained committed to his vision, working through challenges, experimenting with materials, and refining details along the way.

His design, titled Delivered for Good, embodied both creativity and purpose, transforming unconventional materials into something meaningful and runway ready. The originality of his concept and execution did not go unnoticed. Eli was honored with the Most Original award, a remarkable achievement for a first-time designer.

Seeing his design come to life on the runway was a moment of pride and disbelief. “I looked at it and thought, ‘I did that,’” Eli said. “It was crazy.”

Beyond the design itself, the experience left a lasting impact. Eli quickly realized that Compassion Through Fashion is about more than creativity, it’s about purpose. “It felt so good knowing I was involved in something that was helping so many people,” he shared.

Christi echoed that sentiment, noting that while the creative journey was exciting, the connection to New Directions’ mission made it even more meaningful. “Taking a design from concept to the final runway show was amazing,” she said. “But knowing it supports something bigger in our community made it even more special.”

From late nights working on details to the excitement of the runway and the encouragement from family and friends, Eli’s journey reflects the heart of Compassion Through Fashion, transformation, creativity, and community. When asked how he would describe the experience to other aspiring designers, Eli said: “Really, really fun.”

And at just 13, it’s clear this is only the beginning of what’s to come.