Wearable Art Blog

Spring Hats by Robyn Coles

Spring is just around the corner, and Welsh milliner Robyn Coles is in demand. Check out these lovely hats from her 2013 spring collection, her second.

Coles began making hats for her friends in a spare room after she lost her day job. Less than a year later, at the London Fashion Week 2012, she made a splash debut by having nude models of various shapes, sizes, and ages -- including a very pregnant model -- parade her hats down the runway.

Despite being a creative milliner and having worked for some big names in fashion, Coles' college degrees are in politics and economics. Beneath the academic work, she had a strong need to express her creativity -- and lots of drive.

Coles recently opened up a hat studio and boutique in the Cardiff Castle Arcade (UK). According to her website, she can barely keep up with the orders for the spring collection.

I love the elegant simplicity of these hats. They just scream early spring, don't they, with their green backdrops and white flowers?

You can see more at Robyn Coles Millinery.

 

 

Marcia Lacher Millinery

Since the weather is warming up, here are some straw hats that will keep you stylish and cool. They're by Marcia Lacher of New York, who designs and makes women's hats by hand using hat blocks from the 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's.

 
One of Lacher's most inventive fascinator hats (above) is inspired by the ocean. It's made from straw that she dyed herself and draped with fish netting. The beads and spirals on top represent the detritus found at the bottom of the ocean and sea plants.

The wonderful colors of these hats radiate warmth, like the pretty Panama Straw Hat (above). Lacher made the fabric flowers using iridescent silk. If you look closely, you can see a small bunch of flowers peeking out from underneath the hat.

Here's a great hat for creating some mystery. The big rimmed Panama Straw Hat (above) is made of hand woven blue and yellow fibers with a band and two flowers made from blue leather.

 

The lively Tangerine Tango fedora hat is hand dyed a rich orange and trimmed with bands of grosgrain ribbon. This has got to be the quintessential summer color!

 

How cute can you get? This classic cloche hat is trimmed with a wide black grosgrain ribbon and big handmade organza flower.

As you can see, Lacher offers a great variety of styles and colors. She also makes felt hats, too, for the cold weather. Lacher learned her craft at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, where she completed the Millinery Techniques Program and has been a milliner in New York since 1998.

Are you inspired to get a summer hat? I hope so. You can see more at Marcia Lacher Millinery. 

 

Stylish Woolen Hats by Ann-Marie Faulkner

Even though winter is winding down, I want to show you some very cute woolen hats and berets by the London-based milliner Ann-Marie Faulkner.

Faulkner is a rising young designer who's launched her career quickly. After earning a degree in textile design, she studied millinery in 2009 with the well-known milliner and teacher Rose Cory (who once made hats for Queen Elizabeth) and then set up her own business in 2011. Things have taken off ever since.

Part of what drew me to Faulkner's work is that she creates her own textile designs and produces hats by hand using traditional British millinery techniques. She even does the work of felting the lambswool and merino yarns herself in her East London studio.

For one of her first major jobs, Faulkner designed hats and headpieces for Gossip Girl, the American teen drama television series. For instance, she made the green and mustard wool brocade beret (above) for the principal character Blair Waldorf.

Sometimes, Faulkner makes pieces with two complementary halves, as in the Coral and Charcoal Knitted Pillbox (above) or in the Zig Zag Beret (below). 

 

The handsome Aubergine ‘Percher’ Hat (below) is made with aubergine wool in a black flocked leopard pattern and lined in a leopard print silk satin. Percher hats or 'half hats' are worn at a dramatic angle above the right eyebrow.

 

Aren't these hats adorable? Wearing one would be a great way to spice up any outfit and stay warm, too.

You can see more at Ann-Marie Faulkner or at Boticca.

 

Wool Hats from the 2011 RISD Holiday Alumni Sale

I recently went to the annual RISD Holiday Alumni Sale where I found some lovely wearable art. Always on the prowl, I want to show you some stylish wool hats for winter made by two of the artists I met at the show.

The first are the adorable crocheted hats (below) by Sammia Atoui of SAtoui Designs.

(photo by David Gordon)

Sammia said, "I make these hats to fit like an old fashioned football helmet, with some 1920's style. Everything old is new again! I like to put a contemporary twist on an old favorite, with current colors and a modern fit. This pattern is my own design..."

Here's Sammia modeling one of her flapper helmet hats (below) complete with her daughter in matching shirt.

(photo by David Gordon) 

Lucy King injects humor in her colorful hand knit hats and the names she gives them. The Swiss Miss Earflap Hat below is made from fine yellow merino combined with a nicely contrasting novelty blend yarn.

The Alpaca Cap with Sparkly Ears is made from super warm baby alpaca, and then accented with sparkly yarn. How can you not smile when you see this hat?

Finally, here's the best for last - Lucy modeling her courtly Magical Jester Crown. As Lucy says, this hat is a perfect gift for the person who has everything!

(photo by David Gordon)

Looking for some very affordable, last minute gifts? These hats could be just the ticket.

Or, if you want, you can visit the 2011 RISD Holiday Alumni Flicker Page and see more items from the show.

 

Hats, Scarves, and More by Monica Danielle

Before I went to Venice recently, I'd read about Monica Danielle in several guidebooks and decided to check her out. Little did I know how much I'd enjoy learning about her passion for keeping the rich artistic traditions of Venice alive.

Monica is a native of Venice who began her career as a painter before she switched to making hats and scarves. Part of why she became a milliner is because she felt that it's too 'political' to make a go of it as a painter - 'and there's no heart in it,' she said. In contrast, her sense of style with clothing is evident in all of the work she features in her small shop.

How about the 'Venice Hat' and dashing cape (above) modeled after those worn by the American poet Ezra Pound (below)? Pound first visited Venice at the age of 13 on a three-month tour of Europe with his mother, and he later moved there, published his first book of poems and became known for his broad-brimmed hat.

Have you ever heard of a tabarro? It's a traditional cape that Venetians often wore during Carnival and throughout the year. Danielle features beautiful handmade tabarros. Here's a gorgeous one in yellow.

If you go to Monica's website, you'll see photos taken at a tabarro celebration in 2009, showing people keen on keeping the tabarro alive (plus, you'll see some shots of Piazza San Marco, the most famous square in Venice).

In addition to carrying hats and accessories made by other artisans, Monica sells some lovely hand-knitted scarves and hats that she makes herself. I was so taken with them that I bought a black and white tam with a matching scarf. Check out the lovely rosette (above) that's one of many that adorn my new scarf.

Monica, who's been running her shop (pictured above) for many years, spoke very openly about how 'it's not possible a vitare a Venezia (to live in Venice) - it's too expensive and very difficult with all the souvenirs.' That's all the more reason why I left her shop admiring her commitment to handmade craft.   

You must visit Monica's shop if you're in Venice. I guarantee you won't leave empty handed because she goes out of her way to find something to suit you - and, there's so much to pick from. In the meantime, you can visit her virtually at MonicaDanielle.com.


(all photos except the photo of Ezra Pound are by David Gordon)