Feature Maker - Corde Macrame

Cord^e macrame, Lea Oldjohn

“The simple art of tying a knot is an adventure in unlimited space... an excursion that is limited only by the
scope of our own imagery and the length of the rope makers coil “

Clifford Ashley, The Ashley Book of Knots

Lea Oldjohn’s is the creative force behind the label Corde Macrame and Corde Couture. After being in the fashion industry for over 3 decades working for other labels designing, pattern making, sampling and manufacturing it was time to slow down, time to create pieces
sculpturally beautiful. Macrame had all the elements I was looking forward, starting with something basic and turning it into a couture garment or homewares was the aim, it took around 2 year to develop my technique to infuse sculptural elements into pieces.

Every piece comes together differently, they are never the same as the tension on the cord to create the knots has to be consistent, which is the hardest part. One thing about macrame, it has taught me patience, something I had lost in previous jobs as there was always a tight timeline. For me spending the time is something so important for me, also using recycled materials plays a huge important factor, as the fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters.  If in my small way I can help to reduce waste and produce something beautiful I am pretty happy with that. The future of Corde sees me continuing to making beautiful, slow and sustainable pieces. 

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