Hat Shop Madison Bethany White Sparte, Old and New Melbourne Fashions on the Field

Issue 153 December 2018 Hat Shop Madison Bethany White Sparte, Old and New Melbourne Fashions on the Field the e-magazine for those who make hats Issue 153 December 2018 Contents: Hat Shop Madison 2 An interview with Monika Stebbins, owner of New Jersey's Hat Shop Madison. Hat of the Month 7 A handmade shot silk headpiece by millinery student Bethany White. Spartre, Old and New 10 A comparison of European and Japanese spartre by Rachel E. Pollock. Melbourne Cup Carnival 19 2018 Myer Fashions on the Field competition winners and new digital format. Letter to the Editor 25 Ribbon cutting advice. The Back Page 26 2019 HATalk Competition details and how to contact us. Cover/Back Page: Images by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images for the VRC Cover Headpiece by Rebecca Share Millinery 1 www.hatalk.com Monika Stebbins apprenticed as a milliner in her native Germany before moving to the United States in 1994. In 2013, after spending Monika Stebbins years making hats from home, she decided to take the plunge and open a hat shop on her local high street in Madison, New Jersey. HATalk Editor Becky Weaver recently visited Hat Shop Madison to Hat Shop Madison interview Monika about this venture. When did you first start making hats? My aunt is a milliner, now retired. She had a hat shop in Germany. Even as a little kid I had lots of hats and I loved them. Later on, when I decided I wanted to be in a creative profession, I looked at a variety of things like jewellery, woodworking and fashion design, and found I really liked textiles. I felt that millinery was much more special than working with clothes so I apprenticed with my aunt. Later I took a special class at the British School of Millinery with Shirley Hex and Stephen Jones. It was really fantastic. What made you decide to open a hat shop? When you carve out a studio in your home, or when you rent studio space somewhere else, the cost is much lower than having a shop but you don't get Image by Darren Santos for The Headwear Association Headwear The for Santos Image Darren by any foot traffic. You have to evaluate what works best for you. When I was working from home, I found that people felt awkward about coming, even though I had a studio space. Customers can feel uncomfortable, like they've invaded someone's home or that they are obliged to buy something, even if the milliner doesn't make them feel that way. So I decided to open a hat shop. I was really lucky with this space - I love the original tin tile and ceilings. We put new lights in to make it brighter. I wanted it to be friendly. I didn't go for super elegant. I wanted it to be approachable. The biggest problem is getting people in the shop and the more 2 www.hatalk.com standoffish it seems, the more bridesmaids and guests. Each of would have a different model, but difficult that is. these groups - the horse people, the this is what works here. Stephen fashionistas, the people who go to Jones said during the class I took Describe your typical customer. worship - they’re all different and with him years ago, "You have to be I don’t think I have a specific 'hat they all have different interests and where you are. You have to work with customer' here. There are groups different preferences. So it's a little the people in your world." On my of customers instead. For example, bit of everything. website it says 'A Hat for every Head' there are the people that go to the and that's my goal - that if someone Kentucky Derby or Derby parties. This is suburbia. It's not the same as comes in here, I can find a hat that That’s quite a large group because New York City. In New York City, you makes them happy, that works for New Jersey is horse country. They can be specialised. I felt that Madison them and that they can afford. want Derby hats or fun fascinators. needed more of an all-round hat Then there are women that wear shop. I have hats for men, women and I have a wide range of customers hats to worship. Some of the Baptist children. I sell my own hats and I have from a socioeconomic point of view. churches around here tend to have other designers on consignment. I have people who struggle if a hat is very elaborate hats, for example, I also have other labels, including $20 and others who, when buying a while in most Jewish communities, some that are mass produced in Asia, hat for a friend, say budget doesn’t the ladies want more simple styles the European Union and here in the matter. I have customers that ask me and darker colours. And then I have United States. I have a wide range of to do layaway, meaning they pay for weddings. Not bridal, because most styles and price points. I think in a their hat over time, and I let them people here buy whatever headwear small town like this, I need that. do it, because if they want a hat that they are wearing with the dress, but much I think that they should have mothers of the bride and groom, If I lived in a different community I the chance to get one. What hat styles sell best? If I had people lining up to come to the shop, I would probably make a lot more sculptural pieces but the reality is that there are very few people that will buy those styles here. You have to decide - is millinery your art form or are you making hats for people? I don’t think that only handmade hats are great hats. I think that it depends on who is going to wear it. There are some people that would be very uncomfortable with 3 www.hatalk.com an elegant designer hat - they just wouldn’t know what to do with it. They prefer knit caps or simple, felt fedoras. That's why I have to carry a range of styles and prices. I can sell creative felt hats in the winter as it gets very cold here. Then during the Derby season I stock a lot of hats that are single colour and then I can add trimmings. It's much harder to sell multicoloured hats because people come in with a dress and the colours fight. If the hat is a solid colour, I can then make it a little more personalised without going full custom. That’s the advantage of having a hat shop when you are actually a milliner. Are you open to accepting hats from new milliners to sell in your shop? Print media doesn't work so well a lot of work and I'm still not sure Milliners that want to do consignment anymore. It's very expensive and you about it. For a business owner, here are welcome to contact me. only reach a very limited number. I've nothing matters unless there's a sale They set the retail price and then we always known that a hat shop would in the end. Even if I have lots of likes split it. They decide what they send need to be more than a local shop - it for a picture, that doesn't necessarily me and then I can tell them what would need to be at least a regional translate to anything in the real people's reactions are. Customers shop. There are about 16,000 -17,000 world. give feedback when they try things people in Madison and that's just not on and I pay attention - it's important enough to support a hat shop. So it's What I've found is working well is to know what people want. not that helpful to have an ad only in my website (www.hatshopnj.com). our local paper, I need to reach out People Google 'Hat Shop New How do you advertise? further. My customers are mainly Jersey' and then the shop pops up. I think word of mouth is still drawn from New Jersey and parts of It's an informational site. I don’t sell ultimately what goes the furthest. I’m Pennsylvania. through it as I strongly believe you very involved in the community here have to try a hat on to really see what and I have repeat customers now. On the other hand, social media is it looks like. 4 www.hatalk.com I also do events. This weekend, for Business Association offers classes example, I'll be going to a horse and and workshops to help with business carriage event. And then, at the end plans. I went to them years before I of this month, I’ll be at the Morristown opened the shop. They have retired CraftMarket. Having stalls at events executives who give free advice to like these is more of a marketing newbies, which was very helpful. effort than selling. It’s a good way to meet people so they will realise that I’m also a member of the local there is a hat shop here and come Chamber of Commerce, the Milliners next time they need a hat. Guild and The Headwear Association. The Headwear Association is the You have an amazing collection of big umbrella organisation for hat hat blocks - where are they from? manufacturers, material importers My parents' friend in Munich and, in the last few years, a lot of always collected antiques.

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