Elle von Boetticher's company Pro Elvis Jumpsuits produces 400 custom garments annually out of her Nanaimo home. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

The King

Fit for a king: Nanaimo woman known worldwide for Elvis costume-making

May 31, 2019 | 8:33 AM

NANAIMO — An unassuming central Nanaimo home business is arguably the worldwide king of producing Elvis Presley costumes.

Elvis Pro Jumpsuits owner Elle von Boetticher said she sells roughly 400 custom replicated outfits annually online for customers in 50 countries.

It all started in 1999 when the film and theatre costumer in Calgary got an unexpected request to outfit an Elvis tribute artist.

“It just kept growing from there,” Boetticher said. “To tell you the truth I was more intrigued than thinking I can turn this into a business.”

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Demand surged in the last decade after von Boetticher and her family moved to Nanaimo in 2005.

She said a defining moment in her new career was a successful Dragons’ Den appearance to secure more supplies and allow costumes to be constructed more efficiently.

Von Boetticher said it takes between 15 and 40 hours to complete a suit, while more complicated requests can take as long as 80 hours.

Upwards of five contractors now work for von Boetticher, making six to eight costumes a week.

NanaimoNewsNOW visited her bustling business Friday, May 31, where three other staff members were hard at work creating the suits.

“It’s labour-intensive work,” von Boetticher said with a pair of sewing machines humming behind her.

Von Boetticher said she gets a lot of satisfaction from the great response she receives from customers, most of whom are professional Elvis tribute singers.

“We’ll often get a phone call each day from a customer who says ‘Thanks for making me look so good, I feel great, now I’m ready to go on stage.’ It’s a really nice feeling.”

One of those customers is Ron Peacey of Campbell River. The longtime musician became an Elvis tribute singer three-and-a-half years ago.

He was surprised to learn Elvis costumes were made on Vancouver Island.

“The costumes are very authentic reproductions,” Peacey said. “When you put it on you feel like a million bucks, you feel a little bit like Elvis.”

Peacey performs at private shows on Vancouver Island and festivals in B.C. and Alberta.

A NanaimoNewsNOW reporter’s questionable bid to emulate the King of Rock and Roll. (Elle von Boetticher)

Elvis Pro Jumpsuits were featured on the TV shows “Sons of Anarchy,” “Sesame Street” and “Still the King,” where Billy Ray Cyrus portrayed an Elvis impersonator.

Von Boetticher doesn’t see demand slowing down for jewel-laden jumpsuits worn by the King of Rock and Roll.

“It just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.”

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes