Ella Cook

The preservation and archiving of precious objects, antiques and skills with an emphasis on handcraft and tailoring

My work is a response to the preservation and archiving of precious objects, antiques and skills with an emphasis on handcrafted techniques and tailoring, inspired by the Arts and Craft Movement to fully convey the appreciation of handcraft and the importance of preserving these methods so that they aren’t lost to the passage of time.

The word I have associated with this collection is ‘archival’. An archive can be a place of preservation for any type of historical collection. It is evocative of memories, a past time or place. Through my garments, I have archived fabrics, hand-sewing techniques and antique momentos such as the bone brooch from my grandma’s mother, the red brooch that belongs to my nanna, the hand-painted kimono silk that lines my jackets, sourced handmade lace doilies and lace trimming details from Burano, Venice. The rosary is an antique granite rosary from Italy. It is all these little eclectic details that bring this archival collection to life.