Chicago's only Asian-American female streetwear designer collaborates with Bears, NBA's Steph Curry

CHICAGO (WLS) -- No matter who Ellen Ma is designing for, she makes sure to pay respect to the culture of Chicago from t-shirts to plush toys.

"On the back, we have Chicago from the ashes, almost like a rebirth of Chicago," Ma said.

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Her signature is pop-art-turned streetwear.

"My designs, you can see, it's very bold. It's very painterly, if you will," Ma said.

Ma, the head designer at Leaders 1354, chooses bold colors for a confident feel in her designs. She's currently the only Asian-American female streetwear designer in the city of Chicago.

"I've always been the person to go against stereotypes, to go against labels. So being someone who is different, who looks different in this space was challenging, because I, at first, I had no idea where to turn to," Ma said.

She says her family's background is in medicine, but her passion was art. Now, she's making waves, collaborating with some of the nation's biggest brands from the Chicago Bears to NBA star Steph Curry.

"He wore this one in the tunnel," Ma said.

Each design tells a story. One pair of shoes tell the story of a kid dreaming to become a professional athlete and getting extra practice at night.

"We wanted to add in the glow-in-the-dark, so he can see clearly, and then the iridescent for city lights," Ma said.

It's her way of making an impact to the community, especially the Black community, through design.

"We want to make sure the community feels seen and heard," Ma said.

To her, it's not just clothes. It's a lifestyle.

"When they put on the Leader shirt, they feel like they can do anything, they can conquer anything. And so, I just want to be the person that can provide them with that sense of hope," Ma said.

You can visit Ma's website here.