Bronwyn Shooks returns to the podcast to share with us about her 2024 Millinery Australia Design Award-winning piece.  Find the first podcast with Bronwyn here, where she shares about her millinery education and mentor Jean Caroll.  In this episode, Brownyn speaks about creating the piece ‘A Galaxy of Wisdom’.

Brownyn is a theatrical millinery based in Sydney who has created pieces for musicals including Hamilton both the Australian and international tour, Mary Poppins & Juliet, Gaslight for Queensland Theatre Company just to name a few.

Denise Innes-Spencer is a milliner and teacher based in Liverpool.  She founded The British School of Millinery in 1996.  The school offers face-to-face and online courses for all levels from beginners through to experienced practitioners.

She began her career as a pattern cutter and spent time working at what is now known as Angels Costumes before setting up her own freelance business and training as a teacher.  She learnt her millinery skills from the legendary Rose Cory and attended classes for many years.

In 2017 Denise wrote and published her first book which focuses on skill development for bridal headdresses with detailed, illustrated instructions that explore wires, knitted wires, beads and diamantes.

She is a regular contributor to The Hat Magazine sharing techniques across a range of materials.  Denise currently teaches millinery at John Moores University and has been a guest teacher at London Hat Week and Barcelona Hat Week alongside working with The Brain Charity in Liverpool.

You can purchase Denise’s book Tiara Headdresses at  https://www.thebritishschoolofmillinery.com/product-page/tiara-headdresses-by-denise-innes-spencer

Pick up the latest copy of The Hat Magazine or read it online at https://www.thehatmagazine.com/

Christine Waring is a Canberra based millinery who has decades of experience in Millinery.  She has created award winning pieces for local Canberra hat wearers having started her career develop relationships with her clients while stocking at makers fairs in the local community.  Christine has taught in the TAFE training program for millinery.  She has a great ability to adapt techniques from fellow millinery tutors to form her own approach to the skills.

Over her millinery career so far Christine has worked from her home studio which is an evolving space.  She showcases her work on display cabinets and hosts client consultations in her studio.  Christine has been involved with The Millinery Association of Australia Stitch and Chat meetings which have provided a connection for members to be able to meet socially despite physical distancing restrictions and used this an opportunity to keep creating and developing new designs.

Rebecca Read is the Milliner for Opera Australia.  She is based in their Sydney workroom and constructs pieces for their various productions.  The projects she undertakes can be wild and wonderful and involve transforming a designers sketch into reality.

She studied at Charles Stuart University before moving to England where she graduate from Kensington and Chelsea College. During her time in London Rebecca went on to work for Bridget Bailey, Noel Stewart Stephen Jones and Misa Harada.

After returning to Australia she eventually met Catherine Kelly and spent time in her Sydney Millinery Studio before taking up the role at Opera Australia.  In her nearly 10 years with the company she has produced pieces for the Julie Taymor’s The Magic Flute and My Fair Lady which was direct by Julie Andrews.

Justin Smith is the milliner and creative that leads the brand J Smith Esquire. After graduating from the Royal College of Art, he launched the brand J Smith Esquire following the success of his 2007 graduation show. From there Justin has been involved with fashion weeks all over the world featuring his hats and headpieces.

He has made pieces that have featured in major motion pictures such as Star Wars, and the Man from U.N.C.L.E, and the iconic Maleficent headpiece worn by Angelina Jolie. The pieces created within Justin’s London based studio aim to push the boundaries of the traditional millinery world. Justin looks to passionately upholds the traditions of millinery, whilst redefining classic headwear, challenging conventions and technique alike.

Justin’s peices have featured in numerous shows and exhibitions including Hats: An Anthology curated by Stephen Jones for the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, 2009 to 2012, Hedonism at London Fashion Week by the British Fashion Council, three seasons of Alta Roma Limited / Unlimited supported by Sylvia Fendi, the 2010 Vogue Young Talents exhibition in Milan, and the 2009 Fashion in Motion exhibition of selected milliners at the Victoria and Albert museum in London