Meet Ella
Ella joined our small team of makers 6 months ago as an apprentice. After months of very mundane and repetitive tasks she embarked on her first major work making a pair of our hero products the Devon Messenger and the Baja Travel Bag. Both bags are made from our very best oak bark tanned hides but this time the hides are undyed and cut from the shoulder. The shoulder section gives us these distinctive parallel lines that Ella has reserved for the front flap of the Devon Messenger Bag. Most tanneries produce what they call "corrected grain leather" a buffing process that removes the very top layer so the leather surface has a uniform appearance across the hide. We all know that leather, a natural animal hide is anything but uniform and we like to champion that sometimes featuring the natural irregularities in our products.
Hi, I’m Ella!
Growing up with a Mum who has her own small home based business making high quality curtains and soft furnishings, I’ve always been surrounded by beautiful fabrics and sewing machines.
I left school with 3 art GCSE’s eager to find my path, I went onto further education at Exeter College studying Level 3 Art Diploma in Fashion Textiles for two years. I then went onto to travel Asia and Australia for 3 months.
Once home, I had to earn money!
Work was what it had to be, working in offices, co-ordinator, sales desk, marketing, talking to customers on the phone. It was a wage but really not enjoyable or fulfilling.
Then I came to Tanner Bates…
Out of the blue, a local business, making luxury, beautiful leather products came along, and an opportunity to do something rewarding, learning, making and with amazing materials.
In at the bottom with no experience, I’ve had to learn everything!
A passionate group of people doing something exceptional.
And now look what I can do!!! Still more knowledge to gain, but I am chuffed with what I have learnt in the time I’ve had here so far at Tanner Bates.
Its all about detail, care and love.
2 Responses
Tracey Hart
I am so pleased that you are putting your creative skills and talents to good use at last Ella. I think that working in a small talented team such as this will help you to grow and motivate you to continue learning and creating beautiful things. And working with leather……..how wonderful!
I hope to attend one of the learning workshops, maybe you can teach me to make something beautiful but functional too. Good luck x
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Ella
April 15, 2019
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Tracey, I’m so happy to finally be doing something that I love and have a passion for. It would be great to tutor you on one of our courses, let me know once its booked the date you are coming in and I’ll be there! Take care, Ella