COUTURE HATS
Our Collection
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THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Creating a hat collection takes time, patience and creativity. I start with an idea. Something that will unify the different hats. Once I have the theme, it’s time to research and see where inspiration takes me. Hours upon hours are spent reading and looking at images trying to create a story of who, what and where. This is the point of amassing information. Rough sketches of the hats begin to unfold and blocks need to be ordered.
Once I have a starting point for the hat collection, it’s time to delve into fabrics and colors. Trips to the finest fabric stores in New York City offer a dizzying array of luxurious fabrics. Samples are collected and brought back to the studio where they are matched to the different hat ideas in the collection. Trims are investigated, planned out and ordered. Each hat has to stand on its own, yet work collectively in the collection.
The millinery tools are assembled. Buckram, wire, felt, thread, pliers, gloves, rope, pins. The magic begins and the hat starts to unfold. Loads of patience help transform ideas into hats. A critical eye ensures the metamorphosis is on course. Tweaks are needed. Elements need to be added or removed, until the crescendo is reached and the collection is born.