Science, Style, and Belonging
How a PhD in Biomechanics Turned Leila Kelleher Into a ‘Fat Fashion’ Pioneer
By Jessica Strul, Elle, September 18, 2025 / Read the full article here.
In this month’s Elle Office Hours series, writer Jessica Strul spotlights our own Leila Kelleher, co-founder, partner, and designer at a space, in between. — tracing her unconventional journey from professional musician, to biomechanical researcher, to pioneer of fat fashion.
“Larger bodies aren’t like a Xerox copy of a sample-size pattern, enlarged to 130 percent. I realized I needed to break the rules,” Leila explains in the interview.
The feature captures the philosophy that grounds our studio: clothing designed for plus-size bodies must start with the body itself, its biomechanics, its dignity, its beauty, and not as an afterthought. It also previews Leila's forthcoming book, Plus-Size Patternmaking for Women's Womenswear (Bloomsbury, 2025), the first of its kind to provide technical frameworks for inclusive design.
We are proud to see Leila's work, and the mission of a space, in between., recognized on a global platform. Thank you to Elle and Jessica Strul for telling this story with the clarity, candor, and care it deserves.
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