Laurie B. Allen has a passion for art and design in all its forms.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude from The Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University in December 2007.  While attending college, she studied abroad in Italy and had the chance to travel around the globe. Here, she learned about fashion markets worldwide, developed a deeper understanding of design and learned the art of jewelry making.  While abroad, she also designed a prototype for an Italian retailer by the name of 959.

Ms. Allen has participated in several fashion shows including the third largest fashion week and the fastest growing fashion week in the nation.  She was even invited to participate in a fashion show phenomenon on a glass boat on the Seine River in Paris.   Ms. Allen showed collections in Little Rock Fashion Week in 2010, 2011 and 2012.  2010 proved to be a busy year for her career because she also designed for Fashion Week Cleveland, Fashion Week Columbus and Pittsburgh Fashion Week.  Ms. Allen was named Fashion Week Cleveland Designer of the Year in 2010.  To honor her accomplishements, she was invited to participate in Little Rock Fashion Week in 2010. Ms. Allen enjoyed Little Rock Fashion Week so much that she agreed to design for the show in 2011.  She was then awarded Designer of the Year at Little Rock Fashion Week in 2011.  To recognize her talents, she was then honored at Baltimore Fashion Week in 2011.  In her college years, she was awarded with scholarships, certificates for best in class, as well as prizes for best designer in multiple fashion shows. 

In 2007, she interned for KraftMaid Cabinetry.  Some of her ideas can be seen in home improvement stores to this day. Currently, Ms. Allen is a Visual Lab Associate for American Eagle Outfitters.  On the side, she designs websites and enjoys working with programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator.  In her spare time she designs and alters clothing for friends and family. Some of her other interests include drawing, traveling, photography, skiing, and knitting.  

Laurella, Designs by Laurie B. Allen, are softly draped in sophisticated silhouettes. Most designs are delicately cut and ultra feminine.  With an elegant and chic style, the garments remain quite effortless and comfortable.  They have a sense of ease and move flawlessly down the runways. A wide array of textures, fabrics, colors and patterns are used to create details and interest.  She is a master manipulator of prints, especially stripes.  The pieces really bring the eye in and create magical optical illusions. She has a talent for making clothing look unique without being too avant garde or bold.  Ms. Allen’s design philosophy is to create beautifully made garments for a young and modern woman.  She wants to make women feel glamorous, but not stuffy; sexy, but not sleazy; modern, but not futuristic.