Wow what an exciting adventure attending The Great Hat Exhibition in London! My whirlwind trip around London included functions, events and classes!
Here’s just a few of my favourite moments from my trip:
My first event was the HATalk e-magazine’s 2018 Private View Launch Party for London Hat Week which was held at the Fashion and Textile Museum. This evening was full of excitement as I met milliners from all over the world and also my award winning hat was exhibited with special guest speaker Stephen Jones in attendance.
My next event for an event of Royal Millinery! As you have seen recently the wedding of Meghan and Harry created near fever pitch in the UK and I was invited to a ‘Royal Wedding’ themed evening featuring some of London’s top millinery experts in aid of Brain Tumour Research.
Moderated by Becky Weaver, Senior Editor of HATalk e-magazine and co-founder of London Hat Week who interviewed an Expert Panel of Milliners - Ian Bennett, Dillon Wallwork & Jess Collett who all spoke first hand what it is like to make hats for Royalty.
Another one of my highlights of the trip was visiting Boon & Lane. This block makers factory come showroom in Luton is about 25 minutes tube ride into the country. Around 1900 the hat industry was at its zenith and dominated the life & town. Boon & Lane have been in the hat trade secret for nearly half a century and this was a real eye opener for me as you will see by the photos. Just in case you didn’t know, all designs that a couture milliner makes comes from hand blocking on a hat block. These photos shows examples of all the different shapes available at a price! On many occasions whilst visiting my studio you may have seen an enormous amount of wooden blocks on a rack. This is how they turn out from this pile at the factory!
Yes! All these prototype blocks are numbered and yes they know where they are all placed in the factory! You gotta love em! Walking into a warehouse full of sample hat blocks!
I still feel honoured to have been selected to represent Australia at London Hat Week! It already seems so long ago and I am back and excited to create some truly unique pieces for the Autumn Racing season!
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