behind the seams
about the brand
Rebellelion was established in 2015 & every piece is hand-crafted in a sunny studio in Denver, Colorado.
I’ve been obsessed with fashion but always felt like an outsider looking in through the shop’s glass. I could never afford name brands and couture fashion seemed so elitist. I sound bitter because growing up the glamorous world of fashion was a club where I desperately wanted to belong. It also felt so far away from my reality when I would look at the price tags in Vogue and think about how the shocking price of a handbag could change my family’s life as we struggled to find money just to have something to eat that day. I was appalled that a celebrity could wear a pair of shoes just one time with a price tag that was the equivalent to six month’s of my Mom’s salary.
I watched a documentary called “The True Cost” about the devastating effects of the fashion industry on the environment & the tragic ethical dilemma about how garment workers are treated. That information changed me at my core & I could never forget it. I had always been using second hand materials because they were all I could afford, so I figured there was no reason I should stop now. I vowed to shop ethically as nobody should have to die for fashion. It is absolutely possible to create clothing without harming the planet or the people on it.
The thing about fashion is that it can be so unifying. It has connected humankind since the dawn of time, being used as pieces of great significance in important rituals and telling the stories of generations. Fashion can transform the way somebody feels and empower us in boundless ways. Fashion belongs to everybody. It started with the idea of rebelling against the whole industry, you know, Rebellelion. Rebelle like a feminist, bad ass lady rebel. Lion- a natural force! A brand where fashion design could be reckless, rough & weird while being created in a way that was eco-friendly & ethically made! But really I just want Rebellelion to be a corner of the fashion industry where everyone can belong.
Rooted in our community, I love hosting events & meeting new people while finding endless inspiration along the way. Rebellelion has hosted several clothing swap events where guests can swap clothing as means to recycle and refresh their wardrobe. The Maydaze fashion festival was an overnight camping event in Cripple Creek featuring an outdoor fashion show, live performances, vegan food & camping to unite the Colorado creative community under the stars. Rebellelion has showed collections in several fashion shows across Colorado including Denver Fashion Week.
about the brand
Rebellelion was established in 2015 & every piece is hand-crafted in a sunny studio in Denver, Colorado.
I’ve been obsessed with fashion but always felt like an outsider looking in through the shop’s glass. I could never afford name brands and couture fashion seemed so elitist. I sound bitter because growing up the glamorous world of fashion was a club where I desperately wanted to belong. It also felt so far away from my reality when I would look at the price tags in Vogue and think about how the shocking price of a handbag could change my family’s life as we struggled to find money just to have something to eat that day. I was appalled that a celebrity could wear a pair of shoes just one time with a price tag that was the equivalent to six month’s of my Mom’s salary.
I watched a documentary called “The True Cost” about the devastating effects of the fashion industry on the environment & the tragic ethical dilemma about how garment workers are treated. That information changed me at my core & I could never forget it. I had always been using second hand materials because they were all I could afford, so I figured there was no reason I should stop now. I vowed to shop ethically as nobody should have to die for fashion. It is absolutely possible to create clothing without harming the planet or the people on it.
The thing about fashion is that it can be so unifying. It has connected humankind since the dawn of time, being used as pieces of great significance in important rituals and telling the stories of generations. Fashion can transform the way somebody feels and empower us in boundless ways. Fashion belongs to everybody. It started with the idea of rebelling against the whole industry, you know, Rebellelion. Rebelle like a feminist, bad ass lady rebel. Lion- a natural force! A brand where fashion design could be reckless, rough & weird while being created in a way that was eco-friendly & ethically made! But really I just want Rebellelion to be a corner of the fashion industry where everyone can belong.
Rooted in our community, I love hosting events & meeting new people while finding endless inspiration along the way. Rebellelion has hosted several clothing swap events where guests can swap clothing as means to recycle and refresh their wardrobe. The Maydaze fashion festival was an overnight camping event in Cripple Creek featuring an outdoor fashion show, live performances, vegan food & camping to unite the Colorado creative community under the stars. Rebellelion has showed collections in several fashion shows across Colorado including Denver Fashion Week.
about the designer
Hi, my name is Madelyn Hadel! If you really want to know, I’ve been in love with fashion design my whole life. I would make paper dresses that I would staple together for my Barbies & prom dresses for my American Girl dolls with seams binded by hot glue. When I was 12 I started a hand painted t-shirt brand with my mom called M.A.D.I. (Mother And Daughter Incorporated). I made a M.A.D.I. catalog on Microsoft Word & passed it around my middle school, people thought I was strange. In high school I secretly submitted designs to a Teen Vogue fashion contest and never heard back which was really discouraging because I was so certain it would be my big break LOL. I started upcycling my own clothing but I didn’t actually know how to sew so I figured that I could never seriously pursue a career in fashion.
When it was time to choose a career I pivoted towards graphic design & photography because I figured those were more viable options. I love digital design and the decade I spent dabbling gave me valuable experience (hey, I created this website and photograph all of my own products! That counts for something, right?) Yet, my lifelong love for fashion design never faded. I started Rebellelion in 2015 and bought my first sewing machine off Craigslist. The seller showed me how to thread it & that’s literally all I knew about sewing. I just started experimenting with pushing fabric through the machine & needless to say I broke A LOT of machines. Over the years I honed certain techniques and always loved working with denim because it was the perfect blank canvas. Denim is sturdy & versatile and can pair with so many unconventional materials.
Through all of life’s struggles Rebellelion was the bright spot in my life that kept me excited & curious. There was never some goal or measure of success I had in my head when starting this brand, it’s hard for me to even call it a “brand” because it’s so much just an extension of my own self expression. I simply just needed to do it and so far it has exceeded all of my wildest dreams. I’m the luckiest gal in the whole world.
about the designer
Hi, my name is Madelyn Hadel! If you really want to know, I’ve been in love with fashion design my whole life. I would make paper dresses that I would staple together for my Barbies & prom dresses for my American Girl dolls with seams binded by hot glue. When I was 12 I started a hand painted t-shirt brand with my mom called M.A.D.I. (Mother And Daughter Incorporated). I made a M.A.D.I. catalog on Microsoft Word & passed it around my middle school, people thought I was strange. In high school I secretly submitted designs to a Teen Vogue fashion contest and never heard back which was really discouraging because I was so certain it would be my big break LOL. I started upcycling my own clothing but I didn’t actually know how to sew so I figured that I could never seriously pursue a career in fashion.
When it was time to choose a career I pivoted towards graphic design & photography because I figured those were more viable options. I love digital design and the decade I spent dabbling gave me valuable experience (hey, I created this website and photograph all of my own products! That counts for something, right?) Yet, my lifelong love for fashion design never faded. I started Rebellelion in 2015 and bought my first sewing machine off Craigslist. The seller showed me how to thread it & that’s literally all I knew about sewing. I just started experimenting with pushing fabric through the machine & needless to say I broke A LOT of machines. Over the years I honed certain techniques and always loved working with denim because it was the perfect blank canvas. Denim is sturdy & versatile and can pair with so many unconventional materials.
Through all of life’s struggles Rebellelion was the bright spot in my life that kept me excited & curious. There was never some goal or measure of success I had in my head when starting this brand, it’s hard for me to even call it a “brand” because it’s so much just an extension of my own self expression. I simply just needed to do it and so far it has exceeded all of my wildest dreams. I’m the luckiest gal in the whole world.
