A trip to London

June 2012
Strange how things all happen at once, sods law I think its called! We are all accustomed to it i think. End of Year Shows on the horizon and the next exhibition that I am guest curating at Hat Works, plus the everyday work stuff all piled in front of me.

Part of my teaching/research work and the Hat Works exhibition was to do some interviews with key milliners in London. Excited - terrified - all in the mix.

As I walked down St James' to Lock and Co the Horse Guard Cavalry riding be seemed like a perfect good omen.

Workroom of Sylvia Fletcher, the couture milliner at Lock's

First up was a meeting with Sylvia Fletcher at Lock's. Praying that I would work the recorder properly and that I would ask the right questions. Sylvia is often overlooked in the millinery world of excess and brashness, her work has a simpleness and effortlessness that is always wearable and adds that something special to the wearer. This had been shown earlier that week at the Jubilee Pageant on The Thames when the Duchess of Cambridge wore one of Sylvia's creations, a striking red beret.

Duchess of Cambridge

When asked about how it felt to see the Duchess in one of her hats Sylvia could say just one word 'Delighted' she was really thrilled. In a glittering millinery career she has had many highlights this being one of them.

Pages from Sylvia's book 'Headfirst'

 Sylvia began her millinery career at 16 joining a large workroom, where apprentices were allotted certain tasks as they learn their craft, she rose quickly in this environment and was designer at 18. Listening to Sylvia you realise how quickly the millinery world has changed, not so long ago your training began at the atelier not in the college and now there are so few ateliers left to enable the college graduate to cut their teeth and learn those skills.

Ladies Department at Lock's

Other changes we talked about were materials the loss of esparterie and the beautiful silk veiling and linen like straws. Not that the changes in materials affects the stunning headwear that could be seen the showroom. As Ascot was approaching there were still customers arriving hoping to find the right hat and that usual expectation that a hat could be made in a day or two! The team at lock's were fantastic and one could see why the ladies' keep coming back to this most elegant shop.

Lock and Co, St James, London

Some more Summer Collections

Nicola Sykes

Debbie Hough

Emily Ellwood

Caroline Bedford

Caroline Bedford

Emily Ellwood

Emily Ellwood

Aimee Fawcett

Aimee

Sue Wood

Margaret Woodliff-Wright Inspired by Singer Sargent

Debbie Lough Inspired by German Cinema of the 1930's

Margaret Woodliff-Wright

Summer Collections

My First year millinery students as part of their contextual studies brief were asked to devise a collection of Summer hats. As you may remember there was a certain aversion to Sinamay so the finished pieces I have found really refreshing and exciting. Would love your thoughts.

Rosanna Totiah's Collection

Marie Hennessey-Halewood inspired by Elizabeth Taylor

Sue Wood - Inspiration The Titanic and its inhabitants

Workroom tidy........

That time of year once again.  I only do this to make everyone else feel better about their workspaces and studios getting a bit messy! Baring my dreadful sluttish messiness.

Shame!

The calm of sorting haberdashery

When will she finish.

Though it looked appalling, I know you can't quite believe I could let it get so bad, it only took the weekend to return to a normal studio space that I could work in. Long may it continue. I think i need to go back to my sons' Montessori School to remember the philosophy of putting back......

Hat for my lovely sister

I am not as diligent in my hat making as i should be so I am beginning again. As we all have done making hats for friends and family is a perfect way to start building up confidence and belief. So for my sister's birthday I offered to make her a hat as she was off to a big wedding. For once she didn't want black, but the vibrant colours of orange, pink and purple - a challenge.

Beginnings

The dress

As i may have mentioned before Sinamay isn't my favourite though I accept its potential, I prefer Pinok Pok but this is often difficult to come by. But key to all this as a milliner is not my own sentiments and desires but those of the client. My sister wanted something wow but not too OTT that was elegant and bespoke for her outfit.

Working out some variations

She loved it Phew.

Wetherby Races 2012

It was that time of year again, how did it get there so quickly and my 2012 Graduating Year were to present their work at the Yorkshire Post Ladies Day at Wetherby Races for the perusal of the many racegoers.

The sun shone (wow remember that!) and the ladies and their head wear were out in full force. For the students it is a chaotic day running seven fashion shows and manning their stands and this year they were selling raffle tickets for Brain Tumour Research again.

A great day was had by all and there were some millinery sales as well.

Where has two months gone?

A huge apology for not posting for a little while, unsure where the time has gone.....Hopefully I will be able to show where it did go.

So after my fantastic visit to The Bowes Museum to see the Stephen Jones exhibition, I began to return to my optimistic and engaged self. Having been a roller coaster time with my millinery work and teaching it was a real uplift to see the work that I have done recognised by such an influential millinery figure and gave me a new focus.

So I waited for the letter and it arrived, beautifully crafted and saying it all really that 'Millinery is not the Timbuktu of the fashion world but its Shangri-La'. Even if it wouldn't solve my concerns it gave me such a huge up lift and what more can one ask for. Onwards and upwards in my millinery crusade.