On October 31, 2024, the Richmond community and fashion world lost a cherished member, Elisabeth Mary Rumford, known to many as Elissa. As the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Ap0cene, Elissa was tragically taken in a car accident on her way to take her niece and nephew trick-or-treating. Beloved in Richmond’s fashion scene, Elissa inspired others with her creativity, kindness, and passion.
Founded in 2017, Ap0cene is a digital community “for creatives, by creatives,” featuring artists across all mediums and inviting audiences into a boundless, judgment-free world of art. Elissa’s vision helped shape Ap0cene into an internationally admired brand that encouraged limitless creativity.
We were honored to work with her last year on our last print issue and this all comes as a shock to all of us. Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, and colleagues.
Ap0cene has created a grant fund in her honor for an emerging designer. You can donate to that HERE.
The following statement, shared by her friend Lex Hingle.
On October 31, 2024, the Richmond community tragically lost Elissa Rumford (age 28), a locally admired multi-disciplinary artist and visionary. Known for her charisma, work ethic, and captivating creativity, Elissa helped bring international attention to the Richmond art and fashion scene. She worked tirelessly to co-found Ap0cene, a fashion tech company, and truly lived her childhood dreams— to work in fashion and experience a life filled with excitement, surrounded by awe-inspiring designers and creative friends who loved her. Elissa was equal parts hardworking, creative, and sociable, somehow mastering the balance necessary to succeed in all facets of her life. She was a shrewd businesswoman, a compassionate friend, and an ever-evolving artist. Between running a successful company as Co-Founder and CCO, spending quality time with the people she loved, and creating bespoke garments, dynamic creative content, large-scale multimedia art pieces, and collaborating on musical projects, her determination to evolve and achieve will always be astounding.
The outpouring of comments, stories, and sentiments from her friends and family fully illuminates the light, humor, and inspiration she openly shared with everyone she encountered. Elissa loved connecting with others and leaves behind a heartbroken community of Richmond artists and friends she often collaborated with artistically. Elissa was a true artist in every medium she explored—whether singing, playing violin, painting, sewing, cooking, or designing—and her art community mourns the loss of witnessing her artistic evolution.
However, her steadfast values of discipline, hard work, and dream-chasing inspire her friends and peers to continue on. In fact, her closest friends—artists, sculptors, designers, poets, musicians, and more—are mobilizing in their grief to create a memorial in Richmond at the end of the month to document the sheer impact of her spirit and presence.
Elissa was an exceptionally kind, loyal, and heartfelt friend who will be deeply missed by many. To her closest friends and family, her absence leaves a gaping hole and shoes that feel impossible to fill. Yet those who knew and loved her most understand that living a joyous and disciplined life, guided by whatever passion calls to them, would honor her profoundly.
