We refer to ourselves as Hair Embellishers; Designers and poets, we create exquisite headwear – each a one-off, completely unique masterpiece which is named for its individuality, and packaged with an accompanying poem to encapsulate its spirit in lasting written form.
We are sisters Eileen and Eleanor, and importantly, we are sisters first, hair embellishers second. With endless hours spent in each other’s company this is a bond that developed long before the Eleanor Marguerite headwear collection, which now has become a part of their lives. Two of six sisters, they grew up in a family of eleven children raised by loving parents Jim & Alice Ayres of Traralgon.
We are free spirited creators for we have had no formal training and therefore are not held by any of the rules or 'given-truths' that come with being strictly bound by the rules of traditional millinery. We just begin, and thus come the creations.
Each session begins by settling into our cosy workshop where we spend the day together working on each of our pieces. With a cup of perfectly brewed Prince of Wales tea, we discuss any special orders and duly begin our day of crown creation. It’s a harmonious union and we complement each other with our own individual styles.
As explained best by Eleanor: "I begin by feeling a presence about me and i begin to work, as if my hands are guided by a greater force. Without much thought ideas just come, and it’s a truly wonderful experience of creating. I take delight in saying that when I look back on my day’s work, I can smile with delight at the creations that have appeared before me."