Ellen Louise Curtis married William Jennings Demorest, a dry goods merchant. This union proved to be pivotal, as it laid the groundwork for their joint business ventures. William's business acumen complemented Ellen's skills in fashion and design.

Initially, the Demorests likely worked within the existing framework of William's dry goods business, perhaps incorporating millinery or dressmaking into the offerings. This period was crucial for testing the market and developing their business model.

Ellen Demorest began experimenting with creating dressmaking patterns, potentially addressing a need she identified within her customer base. This was a crucial period of innovation that led to the creation of the tissue-paper patterns.