How did you become interested in millinery?

I’ve always had a love of accessories. When I was very little I would often be seen with a handbag and my favourite yellow umbrella, so hats seemed a natural progression as I got older.

Please describe the first hat you made.

My first hat was a black peachbloom felt with a small downturned brim and quite a high straight crown. It was trimmed with a black organdie drape and oversize paper roses in pink and red. Think Undertaker, but prettier! I remember my millinery teacher being quite horrified at the thought of it, but admitted, once it was made, that somehow it worked. I wore it to death and then pulled the roses off to re-use.

Where and how did you learn millinery?

I had planned to do a millinery course in Melbourne when I was about 19, but never managed to get the money together, so finally, when I was about 28 and working in London (backstage as a theatre mechanist), I enrolled in night classes at the London College of Fashion.

I had started to go a bit mad, working in such a creative industry and not doing anything more creative than putting sets up and moving scenery about in the dark, so the night classes were really just to see where I might want to go when I decided I’d had enough of working backstage.

From my first class I was hooked. I took classes over the next 18 months, all the while working backstage.

How did you become interested in millinery?

During late high school, I was a bit preoccupied with Victorian fashion. When millinery was mentioned at a careers evening, millinery sounded like the perfect job. I was told “Nobody wears hats! Choose a modern career!” That fired the spark even more!

Where did you learn millinery?

The Hat Factory in Auckland. When I learnt there, I was taught by old school milliners – wonderful ladies!

How long have you been a milliner for? Where else did you work?

Ten years, a couple of years while studying at university for a BA (Soc Sci). I also trained first as a florist, which I have found fabulous for developing a knack for line and composition.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs?

Sometimes I like to work by taking hats from other decades and modernising/putting my own spin on them. I get ideas all the time from colours, shapes, images that make an impression. The main thing is to make a hat that looks good with a particular outfit and the person’s face shape, cheekbones, jawline and shoulder width. Headgear is very subjective.

What has been your most enjoyable commission?

For an international dance group, I made up petal comb headpieces to go with their funky 60s style outfits. The colours of the outfits and the headpieces were really out-there and inspired. It’s always a kick to work on something completely different.

He was born in Liverpool, England in 1957 and graduated in 1979 from St. Martin’s School of Art in London.

His asymmetric and outrageous hats quickly became popular with designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Claude Montana, Thierry Mugler and Zandra Rhodes. He also designed for singers such as Madonna, Boy George and George Michael. The Princess of Wales branched out from the traditional royal milliners, choosing Stephen to make some of her hats.

He is credited with helping to revive millinery during the latter part of the 20th century, and is still going strong. In 1990 he launched a number of new accessory and diffusion lines.

How did you become interested in millinery?

By chance, I was a tailor’s apprentice and the millinery workroom was next door.

Where did you learn millinery?

At Lachasse Couture house in London, England, by a milliner called Shirley Hex, who subsequently taught many milliners including Phillip Treacy.

I was Period Costume Designer for National Historic Sites Branch of Parks Canada (a Canadian Government agency that runs many historic sites across Canada). My job required me to research historic clothing cut and construction and create historically accurate reproduction costumes that were then worn or exhibited in these sites. Naturally, hats are part of a complete costume. Before I worked at Parks Canada, I had no special interest in headwear. I crocheted my winter hats to match my coats. However when I began creating reproduction costumes, I was fascinated by hats – their design, materials and construction. I found the sculptural quality of a hat intriguing.

Where and did you learn millinery?

I studied on the job under Senior Period Costume Designer, Theresa Ingram, at Parks Canada and at Richard Robinson’s L’académie des Couturiers Canadiens, Ottawa, in the 1970s and early 80s. I continued studying historic millinery by research and observation of examples in collections throughout Canada and the United States.

How did you become interested in millinery?

I was a fashion/tailor student in the fashion school of the Hague. A friend of mine who was studying costume knew a milliner and asked her to teach us millinery for fun. I enjoyed it and continue to take lessons with this lady. I was impressed and enthusiastic about millinery. I continued from there.

Where and why did you learn millinery?

When I finished the fashion/tailor school, I took lessons with Rose Cory (London) and started my own business. Every summer I took lessons at the London College of Fashion in summer school and master classes taught by Susie Hopkins (London).

How long have you been a milliner for?

I have had my own business for more then 10 years. In the beginning the company name was “Head and Housetrends”; at that stage I designed/made a lot of things. I made baskets for old-timers, soft furnishing articles, slipcovers for furniture. I worked together with a firm that produced suede/leather clothes and I designed hats for them. A few years ago I decided to specialise in hats alone even though Holland is not known for hat-wearing! I changed the company name to Berry Rutjes Jr. (my own name), chose a new logo, brief paper/envelopes, creating a whole new house style. I also rebuilt the shop, like a French hat shop/atelier (a little bit of Paris in Gouda).

How did you become interested in millinery?

I’ve been wearing hats as long as I can remember. As a kid, I was always running around with something fun and crazy on my head. As I got older I started collecting vintage hats and clothing, it was a natural progression I guess.

Where and did you learn millinery?

In the summer of 1998 I got a loft in New England’s largest artists community in Boston. There aren’t a lot of schools offering millinery courses in the States, so I decided to teach myself the art of millinery. I got my hands on a couple of old millinery books and de-constructed some vintage hats to see how they were made. I resolved myself to learning the classic techniques first with the hopes that the rest would come later. It was then I found my true passion… hats!

How long have you been a milliner for?

I was confident I could call myself a milliner when I won 1st Runner as The Hat Magazines, International Hat Designer of the Year in August 2001. I worked in retail management and designed women’s accessories until 1998.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs?

Inspiration for me comes from all directions. Oddly enough, I get great inspiration from the mistakes I’ve made. Sometimes the best creations are stumbled upon by accident. My Hat Studio, which I designed and decorated, abounds with colour, light, pictures, music, books and rolls of fabric. Music and movies are a big inspiration as well.

My greatest inspiration, however, was my grandmother Mamie, who passed away in 1998. She was an amazing self-taught designer and seamstress. With her passing I felt an epiphany to explore my creative desires, which further allowed me to pursue my dreams.

Doris is one of Australia’s most experienced milliners. While some hatmakers boast their extensive range of blocks, Doris claims the smallest number, yet produces the most exquisite and creative hats! Her block “collection” consists of a dome crown and an upturned wok! The hat shapes she produces are gently hand moulded using a pressing pad and iron.

In 1983, I inherited a box of my Auntie’s lovely old hats from the fifties and the millinery addiction seed had been planted. As a professional ladies wear manufacturer, I found this medium of three dimensional wearable art intriguing. Shortly after that, I saw an “add” for hat making classes at the local Adult Education Center, and seized the chance to delve into this mysterious world of creating.

From there I dabbled in various workshops and classes. Without realizing at the time I had the privilege of refining my skills with under the guidance of some of the best Milliners Australia has had to offer. Jill Nolan, Doris Chivers, Peter Jago, Louise Macdonald – lucky me! I enjoy experimenting with different styles and textiles, playing with colour and texture. Lots of fun can be had with feathers and putting steam on straw.

Somewhere between now and then millinery became a large component of the couture business I have established in Melbourne (Australia). Supplying clients with clothing and headwear for their weddings and special occasions as well as the spring racing festivities Melbourne is reknowned for.

Considering the Client’s style and requirements are key factors when embarking on a commission but so is my desire to play with a unique combination of colour/shape/texture to produce a piece that will delight the wearer.

My most enjoyable commissions are where the Client allows me to produce their entire look, from clothing, hat, shoes and accessories; resulting in a gorgeous “total” outfit.

About 5 years ago the lack of block making services available lead me to team up with a very gifted wood carver. Since then we have been able to make blocks in many wonderful and exciting shapes for milliners both here in Australia and more recently in the United States and Britain. In fact most millinery materials seemed to be very hard to source, so it became a natural progression for me to hunt for suitable supplies, too. I now am able to offer milliners through out Australia and aboard a growing selection of interesting bits out of which they can make hats. Things like: sisal and ramie straws, vintage rochello and swiss-braid hat bodies and braids, stiffeners, wires, feathers, flowers,veiling-including French silks, hat elastics,combs,fur felts-melusines and velours,straw cloths,sinamays and sinamay prints and fancy weaves. The list keeps growing by the day.

Having said all that, it may seem like there is little time for anything else but I do enjoy time with my husband, who works in the Petroleum industry and my 10 year old son Kyle and 7 year old daughter Dominique. It is very rewarding being Mum to the two little ones, who are busy developing their own interests in sport and hobbies as well as school activities. And of other interests… collecting Carlton Ware, a little early morning walking, an odd glass of wine and good chats with friends.

How did you become interested in millinery?
I became interested in millinery back in the early 1980’s while I was in art school and decided to make myself a New Years dress and a matching hat. I was also fascinated by headwear from various countries and throughout history.

Where and how did you learn millinery?
My mother was a seamstress and taught me to sew. I also learned it from a friend of my moms while we were back in Paris. Later I took a workshop with Louise MacDonald.

How long have you been a milliner for?
Since the late 1980’s. I studied art and then Interior Design, but ventured into hat making late 1980’s, which led me to open up my own hat store.

Where else did you work?
I freelanced most of my life and supported myself on my creative ventures.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
From my vintage wardrobe, old movies, nature, and some sci-fi.

What has been your most enjoyable commission?
Creating a hat for a sci-fi series in Toronto Canada.

How would you describe your style of hats?
Vintage inspired.

Who do you make hats for? Churchgoers? Brides? Everyday wear?
Mostly for all occasions, I love creating hats for film and television. Anything that allows me to explore materials.

What materials and techniques do you favour?
Anything that I can sculpt.

Do you have any other interests, hobbies?
I am an artist (www.mariacurcic.ca) and a dj with my own station, www.radioradio.ca

How did you become interested in millinery?

After working as a designer of knitwear for the clothing industry in Europe for many, many years.  I met an Israeli hat designer in Amsterdam. Together we designed a collection of knitted hats and caps that were introduced to the Dutch market first. I was so fascinated with the challenge of knitting 3-dimensional forms that I moved on to design and make my own knitted hats collection from that point on.

Where and why did you learn millinery?

I did not learn millinery. After finishing my fashion and textile design education at the Royal Academy of Arts in Den Haag, Netherlands, I worked as a knit. First in the Netherlands, later in Germany, as the market there was a better one at the time. I designed for the knitting industry in Italy, Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands before I found the challenge, as well as my own skills, to work fully fashioned for the headwear market.

How long have you been a milliner for? Where else did you work?

I have been designing and making my own hats collection for the past 5 years. As a freelance designer I also work for the Opera in Munich and Theatre Festivals in Germany, knitting headwear and accessories, as well as making full knit collections.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs?

I find my inspiration in the use of the materials and the form of the head. I love to experiment with say a “classical millinery material” as straw and see how it can be knitted up. The experiments with knitting straw resulted in the pagoda hats, berets and the knitted lace straw hats.