Arts Thread

Ella’s collection is rooted in the cultural identity of Stourport-on-Severn, a Midlands town affectionately known as “Stourport-on-Sea.” Positioned along the River Severn, the town is recognised for its historic riverside fairground, Treasure Island. This location represents more than nostalgia, it encapsulates collective memory, local pride, and the significance of community spaces in shaping identity. Her project investigates the evolving role of British fairgrounds, once vibrant centres of social life and now often overlooked. While some may consider these spaces outdated, Ella sees them as sites of faded glory, rich with joy, sentimentality, and cultural meaning that still resonates, particularly in towns like Stourport. Through menswear textile design, Ella reinterprets this traditional narrative by blending past and present. She incorporates vintage and pre-loved fabrics, cotton, linen, lace, and knitted textiles, to evoke warmth, authenticity, and familiarity. Digital embroidery becomes a key storytelling medium, with each thread representing a memory, a place, or an emotion. The resulting materials and samples form a tactile scrapbook of memories, each piece acting as a chapter, stitched with intention and feeling. Reminiscent of a family photo album, the textiles capture childhood excitement, seasonal rituals, and the enduring charm of community traditions. This layered, narrative-driven approach honours both personal and shared histories, celebrating the quiet magic of cultural landmarks. At its core, Ella’s project is a response to fading traditions and a call to preserve the emotional depth of heritage. Through textile and fashion, she offers a contemporary reflection on overlooked narratives, championing the beauty of the ordinary and the stories that shape us. It stands as a tribute to place, memory, and the lasting social power of craft in modern design.