Maria Carmen is a milliner working between the UK and Romania. Her first millinery class was an online course with Katherine Elizabeth, and since 2020 she has dedicated herself to mastering the art of millinery. She has studied with master milliners from the UK, Australia, and the US, and trained under the oldest surviving hat-maker in Romania.

Carmen embraced the opportunity to connect with Romania’s small but vibrant millinery community, many of whom specialise in traditional headwear. Inspired by this heritage, she founded The Association of Romanian Hat Makers & Milliners to support and promote the craft within her home country.

In 2024, Carmen entered the Hattember competition, where she was awarded Millinery Professional 2nd Place for her piece “United”. Her design was inspired by the core message of the Olympic Games — to bring people together from all over the world and create lasting bonds. Carmen believes that friendship between people should define the relationships between nations, and that peace should guide everything, everywhere.