FROM traditional housewife to divorced mom-preneur, a New York-based artist has used her setbacks to become a go-to brand for the stars.
Designer Elizabeth Sutton's fashionable bags have been spotted on the arms of Nicole Scherzinger, Pippa Middleton, and Post Malone, with her fine art praised by the Kardashian-Jenners, Pitbull.
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9A sixth-generation New Yorker, Elizabeth, 34, is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced life, and these days she's seen rubbing shoulders with ASAP Rocky, Usher, and Kendall Jenner.
But things looked quite different for her a decade ago, she told The U.S. Sun.
After getting married at age 21, Elizabeth admitted that she was "pretty traditional" and didn't work at all.
Describing herself as a "bored housewife," she and her family were struggling financially when a "happy accident" led her down a booming career path.
"I was in the middle of doing a fancy renovation on my son's nursery," she said.
"I could no longer afford the art that I wanted anymore," she went on, so she painted a mural herself on the wall.
After she posted a picture of it on Instagram, someone sent her a message saying how much they loved her art and asked for her to make them something.
"I said, 'Sure.' A little time. A little money. Why not? That's literally how my art career got started," Elizabeth said.
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Months later, her life took several winding turns that began when her family lost their fortune.
"I had a miscarriage, reassessed my life, realized I wasn't happy, and a month later, I asked for a divorce. That night, found that I was pregnant and decided to keep the baby," she recalled.
Ten weeks later, her father-in-law died, and a year after that she was officially divorced with a three-week-old daughter and a two-year-old son.
Another six months down the line, her best friend was fatally struck by a bus.
The self-taught artist and designer channeled her pain into her artwork and used it to propel herself forward as a single mother of two.
9With the little money she received from her divorce, she hired a graphic designer and mocked up a "beautiful" home collection.
"I always wanted to start a tabletop homeware collection and that ventured into fashion and clutches," she said.
"I love the home more than fashion. I believe the home is where the heart is."
For the mom of two, getting her career off the ground wasn't as easy as her first sale, so she entrusted a leading luxury girls' accessories designer, Bari Erber, to mentor her.
But during that process, her assistant was killed in an accident in her car.
"Needless to say, I was fairly messed up. My plan went out the door, and I had to address my mental health and well-being, she admitted.
That is exactly how she accidentally segued into fashion.
"I had never intended on launching a clutch collection, but it was like low-hanging fruit. I lost a lot of money because of the car accident and I needed to make money immediately," she detailed.
"I saw this picture of Sarah Jessica Parker with my clutch on her Instagram and I literally screamed out loud," she added.
Elizabeth Sutton
Her sparkly designs landed in the hands of Real Housewife Melissa Gorga, Sports Illustrated's Melissa Wood Tepperberg, and Pippa Middleton.
Paris Hilton even had them decorating the background of her 2021 Netflix show, Cooking with Paris.
"Someone sent me a picture and said, 'Liz, those are your clutches'," she said.
That wasn't the only incident that left her starstruck.
"I saw this picture of Sarah Jessica Parker with my clutch on her Instagram and I literally screamed out loud," she added.
Her best-selling design and favorite item, the Rainbow Starburst Clutch, $395, was carried by actress Cami Mendes in the Netflix film Do Revenge.
9Many of her clutches to her commissioned paintings feature bold statements like Boss B**h, GRL, LIT, and Strong.
She started to play with words following her divorce, proclaiming in one painting, "Richest at my poorest. Poorest at my richest."
"That was a commentary on my divorce. When I had the most money, I was unhappy, when I was my poorest I was happy again," she said.
The phrase "just breathe" has also popped up on a $395 clutch and several variations of $7,500 wall art.
Elizabeth said that was inspired by the car accident that killed her assistant, "a disaster on so many levels" that broke her heart and her business.
She proudly calls herself a strong woman who has gracefully handled her fair share of disturbing moments.
9Elizabeth also incorporates a unique detail into her designs that sets them apart.
"The butterfly is one of the techniques that I first developed when I was teaching myself how to do art. They, over time, began to carry a ton of symbolism for me," she said.
She trademarked a butterfly shape, seen as the buckle on her Leather Belts, $345.
"I think butterflies represent hope, transformation, and beauty by nature," she said.
She's also proud of how her art spans price points, making it accessible to more people.
9"I hated that my art was only for rich people. I want my energy to be for everybody and that's one of the reasons I actually started onto products," she detailed.
Her clutches are $395, her belts range from $295 to $345, and she even sells disposable placemats for $25, among many other budget-friendly items.
Her optimism has led her to participate in multiple partnerships that brought her designs into the hands of notable celebrities and influencers.
Following her Sprayground collaboration, rapper Post Malone was spotted with a backpack.
It ranged from $75 to $135 and quickly sold out, which showed her that it was a good price point.
Celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Pitbull have Elizabeth Sutton Collection original portraits from her Icon series in their homes.
9A chance encounter with Hailey Baldwin and Kendall Jenner during New York Fashion Week aided her career.
"I end up getting invited to leave with them. Two Escalades in front, I was like, 'Alright. I'm just gonna roll with this,'" she said.
"We end up at a recording studio in Soho with, I didn't know who he was at the time, but ASAP Rocky."
She wanted to gift Kendall Jenner a portrait as part of her Icon collection, and at another event was able to connect with her about it.
That's how she ended up getting in touch with Kourtney Kardashian for a Disney-themed art piece.
This then led her to do a custom commission for Pitbull.
9Some of her recent collaborations include TileBar, The Raynor Group office chairs, TCG Toys, Janovic murals, Bari Lynn Accessories, and The Whale, a Brooklyn-based office building.
Outside of the United States, she also has ongoing projects with the Eden Rock Hotel in St. Barths.
Next up, she's working on a custom design for a "new hotspot" in New York City called Champagne Problems.
"It's gonna be drunken giraffes and that's on a 30-foot wall, but in a very funny manner that's also chic and amazing. It's a big space and it's like one of the centerpieces of the space," she said.
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Elizabeth also exclusively revealed to The U.S. Sun that she is in consideration for a large bedding deal.
"That's going to be great new category for me. Linens, hotel linens, pillows, and potentially some bathroom products as well. That's a big sneak," she said.
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