Studio Tenn's My Fair Lady

I had such a blast collaborating on the hats of Studio Tenn's recent production of My Fair Lady with costume designer/star Matt Logan. This was my first attempt at Edwardian hats, and they were so much fun to create. Below are photos by Anthony Matula taken for Nashville Arts Magazine's feature on costumes in the show. The full article can be read here. I saw the production last weekend and was blown away. Nashville has had a strong theater presence for the past 30 years, but it's definitely nice to see a fresh voice thrown in the mix! If you're in the area, be sure to follow them on facebook.

Hat of the Day Vol. 2

Black Sun Hat by Fanny and June

Black and white stripes are having a moment brought on by chevron fury. Black and white is always a classic statement. Hat available in etsy or by contacting me. Custom sizes available on request. Dress and necklace below available in my dreams.

Oscar De La Renta SS13

View part 1 here.

Hat of the Day

I think the Panama is going to be the big trend for Spring. Last summer we saw lots of stingy brimmed fedoras, and this winter was all about floppy brimmed "Annie Hall" hats which had a bit of a resurgence thanks to YSL. This hat combines the large loose structured brim with more of a menswear feel.

This hat was made in my Nashville studio. I get the straw from Ecuador, where all Panamas are traditionally woven. It's called a Panama because that's the style of hat workers wore when working on the Panama canal. I love the casual elegance of them. They're easy to throw on for the beach but can also be dressed up.

To order, visit my etsy page or contact me. They can be made to fit any size.

September Update

We had a fantastic photo shoot this month! The new pictures for the holiday line are up on the website.

It's very hard to choose, but I think my favorite is this blocked beret in black velvet. It perches on your head so you can wear it no matter what size you are. The combination of velvet, silk, and sparkly crystals is so sumptuous, not to mention the powder blue dupioni silk lining. See the rest of the collection here.

I also want to share a sneak peak at the new pouches I made for Pangaea. They feature the cutest out of print animal fabric, so get yours now while they're still available.

Rene Gruau Illustrations Featuring Millinery

Rene Gruau was one of the finest fashion illustrators of the 20th century. Working a lot with Christian Dior, his illustrations are often associated with the New Look. Below are some great mid-century illustrations of his featuring hats.

Hats of Elsa Schiaparelli

Elsa Schiaparelli is one of my all time favorite fashion designers. I am blown away by the level of detail in her work and the sheer originality. Her surrealist fashion collaborations with Salvador Dali are legendary. In May, I drove into New York to see the exhibit of her designs in person at the Met. It was worth the trip to see the buttons she uses up close, alone. I love imagining the bold woman between the wars who wore a bug necklace or a shoe hat.

Her couture house was a Paris staple for 20 years, but closed it's doors in 1954 after being unable to adapt to changes in the fashion industry after the war. Last month it reopened at Place Vendôme in Paris and they are launching their first line in over half a century next February.

In honor of this renewed public interest in this cherished iconoclast, I wanted to share some images of her incredible millinery work.

Hats From The Women (1939) Part 2

Click here for Part 1.
Partway through the movie The Women there is a 10 minute fashion show shot in Technicolor. It is a bizarre break from the story and something the director originally wanted to take out. But it is such an interesting capsule of fashion from the time, and really showcases the work that makes costume designer Adrian's name so iconic.

Love the painted silk lining. The hands give it a bizarrely surrealistic touch

Adrian also did the designs for Wizard of Oz this year. Notice a witch theme?

Great dimensionality in the bow.

Strange early use of plastic.

Best Hats of the Runway - Spring 2012

Roksanda Ilincic

 I love the shape of this hat. It suggests a classic turban, but is just boxy enough to be new. Love the bright green paired with classic black, and white shades.

Burberry Prorsum

Burberry really plays up their British heritage with this fun cap. You could easily see the same thing in tartan, but I love the freshness of the straw. It would be much easier to pull off without the pom-pom, but it would miss the playfulness.

Ralph Lauren

This classic cloche hat paired with a boyish silhouette and pearls is highly suggestive of the 1920s. It's nice seeing a take on the decade other than "flapper". Crushing the parisisal gives it some visual interest on the runway, but with a smooth crown this would be lovely to wear out.

Boy and Girl by Band of Outsiders

I love boaters! Happy to see them on the runway again since Marc Jacobs brought them back in 2009. There were quite a few to choose from this year, but the tall crown and black color of this one make it special.

Christian Dior

Suggestive of a sailor hat, but not a bit masculine. Bill Gaytten is on the ball.

Christian Dior Couture

 The turban headband look has been popular for a few years. I've seen it a lot in knits for winter, but I love the chicness of this summer look.

Moschino

There were a few hats this year that looked like an explosion of flowers, but this one gets it right. The shape is organic and the color is so nice with the cream and black of her clothes. Moschino did a lot of very Spanish looking hats this spring. This one is suggestive of the culture, but definitely a new take.