Q&A Anika Cook | Designer
The Gently Unfurling Sneak is the work of Melbourne designer Anika Cook, who started the label as Sneak Design in 2006 to make extra cash while studying. After finishing university, Anika had trouble leaving her fledgling business behind, and quit her IT job to ‘make stuff’ full-time – wearable and intriguing mix of draped, tucked and casually tailored clothing, beautiful wooden and fabric accessories and intricately formed artworks in the art-fashion-design world. Stop by and say hi to Anika this month.
Name: Anika Cook Nick name: Sneak
Profession:
This is always hard to define. Basically I make clothes with amusing prints on them, accessories with pretty pictures, strange illustrations, and websites!
Location: Melbourne town, Australia
Passion:
The inclusion of threads of absurdity and amusement in the vast overall doona cover of life.
I get my inspirations from:
Websites such as fuckyouverymuch or youlookmarvelous as well as conversations with strangers on trams, old movies, libraries, perching somewhere and watching people trundle past.
How I got my break:
I’m not really sure how you work that out! I think the nicest moments are when I see someone wearing one of my creations. I always feel like I should go say hello.
My top tricks of the trade: When in doubt, go out for bagels.
My style in a sentence: Scarves go with everything.
Bet you didn’t know I:
Am pretty good at playing Peggle on other people’s phones, by which I mean, I’m addicted to playing Peggle on other people’s phones. I also show promise in the area of walking on my hands and can’t be beaten at double-bouncing on a trampoline.
My latest project:
I’m working on a series of collages with the theme of Childhood for a group exhibition. At the moment they’re shaping up to be about adults with imaginary friends.
My last purchase: Actually it was coffee. That’s pretty typical.
My current favourite mecho item:
Studio Nommo’s bespoke digitally printed wallart – just beautiful.
Travel destination and tips:
I’ve just gotten back from Japan! Tip: don’t start a land war in Asia.
Pssst… One time I… was walking down the street when a monster made entirely of leaves stepped into my path. ‘Growwwwwwl!’ he said. Thinking rapidly, I offered him my coffee, a hairpin and a used Metcard. This seemed to satisfy him, as I received a leafy hug and he rustled past, heading for the McDonalds on the corner. *This story may be completely fictional.
The Gently Unfurling Sneak is exhibiting at State of Design’s design:made:made:trade 2010 Thursday 15 – Sunday 18 July.
The mecho team invites you to continue the conversation below with Anika during July… Make it fun! Post comments with your own free personal Gravatar
NOTE: ARCHIVE ONLY from July-10. You may leave a comment but please note Anika is no longer actively responding to any questions post 31 July-10.
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15 comments
15 Comments Add your own
1.
Bear | July 1st, 2010 at 4:01 pm
RARRR!
2.
Okay | July 1st, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Hello Anika,
How are you? Well? I’m glad to hear it.
I was wondering what you might think is a fair trade of crafts for a mult- layered Rainbow Cake? Purely hypothetical question of course.
KR,
OM
3.
Bear Hunter | July 1st, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Hi Anika. Do you deal in any delicious green furs? Green. Like a frog.
4.
Anika | July 2nd, 2010 at 10:42 am
Dear Okay
Thank you for your comment. I would imagine that a fair trade for a Rainbow Cake would be a printed canvas, some embroidered socks or a bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese and black pepper.
Love, Anika
5.
Anika | July 2nd, 2010 at 10:45 am
Dear Bear Hunter
Unfortunately I don’t have many dealings with green fur, although I hear that it is the most lovely of all the coloured furs (possibly with the exception of zebra print).
You might like to check out the excellent varieties of fur at Lincraft http://lincraft.cart.net.au/cat/44452.html
Love, Anika
6.
Q&A on Mecho « &hellip | July 2nd, 2010 at 11:09 am
[...] lovely people at Mecho have posted their Q&A with me! Leave comments and random questions and I am honour-bound to answer them all… even [...]
7.
mickey | July 4th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
hi anika, will your stall at dmt have any special theme?
8.
Anika | July 6th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Hi Mickey
No special theme, just a collection of clothing, accessories and artworks… but I am intending on drawing on my stall walls over the course of the event which could become very interesting depending on the level of coffee in my bloodstream at the time.
If you’re in the neighbourhood between 15-18 July come say hi!
Love, Anika
9.
bec | July 8th, 2010 at 11:21 am
drawing on your stall walls sounds fun! are you allowed to take it home after? went last year and love how they used cardboard everywhere. also may i ask if its expensive to set up a stall? should be good !!
10.
Anika | July 8th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Hi Bec!
You can take the bits of your stall after, although fitting them into the studio/house could be an interesting prospect… I love that they’re all made of cardboard, it makes things much more fun! And they get recycled if you don’t want to take them away.
I can’t quite remember how much it is to have a stall! It was booked in January or sometime long ago. It’s probably best to email dmt@aec.net.au if you’re interested for next year. Hope to see you at the exhibition!
Love, Anika
11.
Henry Holland | July 12th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Hi Anika,
I think I saw that leaf monster eating a sausage mcmuffin later that day. He didn’t have any coffee though so must have finished that
Loved reading your Q&A. Best of luck with everything
HH x
12.
Anika | July 12th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Hi Henry
Yeah, leaf monster gets around. You’re probably very lucky you didn’t have any jelly on you at the time, or things could have gotten ugly.
Thanks for the comment… also, love your site! Awesome stuff, the singlets especially are excellent.
Love, Anika
13.
lizzy | July 18th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
urk, why is everything happenin in melbs and syd!!?? i live in brissy and am annoyed we dont have much to these cool design events! would have luved to head down but am broke, how has the week been?? did you get much visitors to your booth?
14.
Anika | July 19th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hi Lizzy
I know, all the big events do seem to happen in Sydney and Melbourne. But Brisbane has lots of little design things going on, doesn’t it? I hear it’s the best place for the up-and-comers who aren’t really well known yet. I’d love to head up there for a market or something, do you have any that you could recommend?
The week was really really busy! I talked to so many people I was making absolutely no sense by the end. It was ace but me and my feet are glad that it’s over. Now for a bit of sleep and a lot of email sending!
Love, Anika
15.
lizzy | July 19th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
ummm we do have some cute designers markets… young designer markets on south bank.. boutiques markets portside wharf.. brisbane vintage fashion fairs.. heard we getting design week soon for the first time but wouldnt mind visiting the melbourne festivals!!! sounds good!!
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