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Issue 113 - August 2015 This month... Next Issue: August 19th, 2015 Marketing Caren Lee Make a NHV Winners And More...

the e-magazine for those who make hats Issue 113 August 2015 Contents: The Hatwalk 2 SJ Brown’s advice for marketing millinery on weeks’ runways. of the Month 6 A Melbourne Cup piece by Caren Lee. Make a Shoulder Length Mantilla Veil 8 A tutorial by Denise Innes- of The British School of Millinery. The NHV Hat Contest 19 The Dutch Hat Association’s 2015 competition winners. Letter to the Editor 24 Advice on applying stiffener. The Back Page 25 Royal Ascot 2015, HATalk Give Away and how to contact us.

Cover/Back Pages: 1 www.hatalk.com Head wear by Denise Innes The Hatwalk: Marketing millinery on fashion weeks’ runways

Not every country can boast a ‘Hat handing out thousands of business Week’ like England. As a milliner in cards. Still, I was getting nowhere. the United States, I wish there was a So, how does a milliner sell hats New York Hat Week or Chicago Hat in a country where hats are not so Week, but no such luck. Until those commonplace? As with any good cities take the cue from London and marketing plan, you have to know create their own Hat Weeks, I will be your audience. perfectly content just crashing the party on my local runway. After trying all the normal marketing ploys, I realized the normal American Why am I crashing the ‘fashion week’ woman is not my target audience. parties? Because marketing head That is not to say I don’t have clients wear is difficult! I have a strong who would fall into the ‘normal background in public relations and American woman’ category, because marketing and even I find reaching I do. But most of my clientele are SJ Brown, Virginia milliner customers for my couture hats non-traditional fashionistas who and blogger of Seasoned challenging. I tried the marketing frequent fashion shows, trunk shows Elegance, explains how she norm - ads in ladies magazines, web and designers’ open houses. They banners on racing websites, vendor wear one-of-a-kind (aka couture) or has been using local fashion fairs, leaving brochures at fancy tailor-made items, not ready-to-wear events to give her hat sales shops and setting up a website. I outfits fresh off the hanger at the a boost. mingled in all the appropriate places local big box department store.

2 www.hatalk.com Ah ha - that is where the American awesome creation - and network hat wearers can be found! Thus was (bring about 300 business cards and born my fashion week and trunk some brochures). This will open the show marketing plan. Non-traditional door to new customers and possibly fashionistas require non-traditional get you into the next fashion show. marketing. I started researching Remember, fashion weeks are usually fashion shows in the Washington DC, held in February and September Maryland and Virginia area (known so designers can show Fall/Winter as DMV) and now I want to share and Spring/Summer collections my research with you, my millinery respectively. Tickets usually go on friends. In my experience, there are sale a few months before the event. six ways that milliners can enter the Make it a girls’ night out and have all fashion show arena - accessorize, your girlfriends wear your hats. The attendee, designer, donate, renter idea is to stand out more than the and vendor... on the runway.

Accessorize Designer When I researched DC Fashion Some fashion week coordinators Week, I found Ean Williams of Corjor would love to include a millinery International was showing his Spring section in their shows. In February, skin tones so all women would see line and would need a bridal hat I was offered a spot in DC Fashion that they could look good in my hats. for his finale . I asked if I could Week’s Emerging Designers Fashion And my final challenge was ensuring create it for him (right). Not only did Show. Being a featured designer in the hair and make-up professionals I make a bit of money, but I got free the fashion show presented a unique didn’t go crazy with mile-high advertising. Contact local designers opportunity but also a new set of hair or heavily painted to see if they need head wear for their challenges. For one, I had to order six eyebrows so as to distract from my designs. Offer a discount on your of the same black dress so that all my creations. When the show was over, hats if they mention your website or models looked uniformed in attire but I had sold two hats off the models’ include you in their designer write- so the hats would stand out. When heads, received invitations to three up in the program. Exchange the use showcasing in a fashion show, the more fashion shows and booked an of your goods for their connections. designer is expected to completely appointment for a future client. I was outfit the models (sometimes you also featured in more than a dozen can urge the models to wear their media outlets, about two dozen Attendee own ). Then, I had to make sure blogs and social media feeds and an Attend some of the fashion shows I chose diverse models with varying interview with a local cable fashion in your area - wearing your most hair colour, facial shapes, bodies and channel celebrity.

3 www.hatalk.com Donate letting them rent five I generally donate five hats per year for $400 for three days with a $100 SJ’s list of some popular to good causes because 1) it makes deposit. Always get a deposit in American fashion week events me feel good to give and 2) it is case hats come back damaged or - the five are New York, Los really inexpensive marketing. Some dirty - models wear stage make up Angeles, Columbus, Nashville fashion shows are really fundraisers meaning hats will definitely come and San Francisco: for everything from cancer awareness back dirty, plan on that. Be sure you to animal shelters so they have a get any specifics in writing (e.g. how • Atlanta Fashion Week loyal following. Find out if any of the long they can keep them, who will • Baltimore Fashion Week charity fashion shows in your area pick up or deliver, the damage clause, • Chicago Fashion Week are hosting a silent auction or will whether they will be shipped and • Cleveland Fashion Week be giving away door prizes as part who pays for shipping, how you will • Columbus Fashion Week of the fashion event. If they have a be paid, what marketing you expect • Dallas Fashion Week silent auction, your hat should be as they show your hats with their • DC Fashion Week listed on the auction website. If they clothes, etc.). Sometimes, renting • Fashion Week Miami give away door prizes so they can sell leads to buying. • Fashion Week San Diego raffle tickets to raise money, they can • Mercedes-Benz Fashion list your hat in their press release or Week Los Angeles website. Remember to check with a Vendor • Mercedes-Benz Fashion certified accountant before counting If you can’t rent, accessorize or Week New York these donated items off your taxes. showcase at a fashion show and you • Nashville Fashion Week want to do more than just attend, you • New Fashion Week can always sign up to be a vendor. Set • Northern Virginia Fashion Renter up a table with lovely hats for those Week Another way of ‘accessorizing’ an fashionistas to purchase before and • Palm Springs Fashion Week already established designer is to after the runway show. Make sure • Phoenix Fashion Week seek out those who are confirmed you offer same-day-discounts for • San Francisco Fashion Week for a fashion show and send them a anyone who purchases a hat on • Saint Louis Fashion Week look book (this is simply a listing of the spot. I actually did this and was what hats you have available, a brief invited to showcase my hats in a huge photoshoot for a photographer who description of each, and the retail If you’re not in the USA, try doing was building an online magazine cost) and a letter inviting them to an internet search for fashion which now has a large and loyal rent (hire) your hats to show with weeks and shows near you to following. their clothing collection. You can find out about events that you either rent hats à la carte or give could get involved in. the designers a bulk rental rate, like

4 www.hatalk.com Here are a couple of SJ Brown’s hats on the runway at DC Fashion Week’s Emerging Designers Fashion Show earlier this year. You can read more from SJ at www.seasonedelegance.blogspot.com or visit her online millinery shop at www.sjbmillinery.com.

5 www.hatalk.com Hat of the Month by Caren Lee

Caren Lee, of Queensland, Australia, recently sent in photos of this interesting hat which she made for herself. We asked her to tell us a bit more about it...

Was this hat made for a special occasion? This is the hat I wore to the Melbourne Cup last year. I also won best hat on the P&O Pacific Pearl cruise liner with my peacock creation and got to meet famous jockey Malcolm Johnson. I still love this hat! It has two insects on it, one on the front and one on the back, signifying Australian flora and fauna. I also hand dyed the silk abaca to represent the beautiful blues of the ocean.

What materials did you use to create this hat? I used buckram, silk, wadding, braid, peacock feathers from a local farm, silk abaca, a beaded appliqué , wire and beads.

Please take us through the making process for this piece - from start to finish. I blocked the buckram on a 1kg Milo tin. Once dry, I wired the edge and hand sewed the wire on. Then I added wadding to the top of the hat, stitching on a cut circle of it. Next, I cut a piece of silk on the bias for the bottom of the . I cut a long strip of wadding, hand sewed it to the silk and then put the finished circular edge of the pillbox over the top circle. I hand sewed the top and the bottom silk pieces together.

6 www.hatalk.com I made a satin lining and attached it to the underside of the hat. I then hand sewed grosgrain ribbon, braid and hat elastic to the inside, as well as a comb. Next, I attached the necklace appliqué piece to the front edge of the pillbox. I glued on the velvet leaves (which I had bought from House of Adorn) and painted the underside with teal nail polish. I checked the peacock feathers, backed each peacock eye with another peacock eye and then stitched the feathers together and hand painted the spines with teal nail polish. Next, I hand dyed my silk abaca in different shades of blue to represent the sea and the gorgeous colours of the ocean up here on the Sunshine Coast. I zig zag stitched the edges of the silk abaca and hand sewed the bows together.

Finally, I added the wired and beaded insects to the front and back of the hat, again stitching by hand. The whole process took around 15 to 20 hours as I kept going back and rechecking the hat, tidying things up as I went.

What was the most difficult part of making this piece? The hardest part of making this hat, believe it or not, was getting the peacock feathers to sit just right, with lots of hand stitching.

Where did you learn hat making? I am a Hat Academy student and the fabulous Elaine Mergard lives just down the road. She has been closely mentoring me through Hat Academy and with personal support for two years.

Caren, pictured here wearing her silk pillbox, runs a millinery business from her rural home in Maleny, Australia. She is going to be showing off some of her hats at the Sunshine Coast Fashion Festival on October 17th - check out the Caren Lee of Maleny Facebook page for more details.

7 www.hatalk.com How to Make a Shoulder Length Mantilla Veil

A tutorial by Denise Innes-Spencer

The British School of Millinery

To create a mantilla veil, you will need: • Tape measure or metre ruler (30cm ruler if not) • Hair Comb (8cm) • Long glass headed pins • Pattern Paper (extra wide) • Silk organza (1m x approx. 1.15m) • Pencil • Polyester thread to match for stitching • Rotary cutter • Quilting thread to match for cord edging • Sewing machine

8 www.hatalk.com Making a Pattern 1) Begin by measuring from 2) Measure a square piece shoulder to shoulder over of pattern paper using the the head. Add 15cm to this measurement from Step 1 measurement for the perfect and cut to size. finished length.

3) Fold the pattern paper in half and then into quarters.

9 www.hatalk.com 4) Working from the folded corner, draw an arc by measuring at intervals using ½ the shoulder to shoulder measurement. Cut.

10 www.hatalk.com Cutting the Veil

5) Fold the 1m square of organza in half along the selvedge. Adjust the pattern to minimise waste. Pin the pattern to the organza using long glass headed pins.

6) Use a rotary cutter to cut around the pattern as smoothly as possible, going back to trim off any small imperfections. Scissors will not give you a clean enough edge. Save excess organza to use later.

11 www.hatalk.com Creating the Gathering

7) Measure 10cm from the centre and fold back the pattern paper.

8) Measure 20cm up this fold and mark with a pin.

9) Thread a needle with quilting thread and carefully stitch alongside fold – only catching one side of the fabric.

12 www.hatalk.com 10) Flip the veil over and sew back up the other side – again taking care to only catch the one side of the organza. These stitches will form the gathers.

11) Sew another line along the fold to identify the centre. This will help when you attach your veil to the comb later.

12) Secure each end of the quilting thread using pins and a figure of eight. Make sure both pins are on the same side of the fabric.

13 www.hatalk.com 13) Thread your sewing machine with the polyester thread and set it to a zig zag stitch - width 7, length 3. Zig zag as wide as you can along the quilting thread without catching it in the gathering stitches.

14) Gently pull the quilting thread to create even gathers. Re-secure with a pin and figure of eight until you are ready to attach the comb.

14 www.hatalk.com Edging the Veil

15) Adjust the sewing TIP: Practice the edging technique on an machine to a different organza off cut before trying it on the veil. zig zag stitch - width When you are confident with this technique, 4, length 1. Put the you can edge your veil – the trick is to go quilting thread on round twice without stopping. a separate spool, or allow it to rest in your lap.

16) Using a pin and a figure of 8, attach the quilting thread to the organza at the side parallel with the head fitting line so it will be hidden.

17) Zig zag along the edge, laying the quilting thread on the edge of the organza and gently stretching the organza to create a fluted edge. Repeat the zig zag all the way round again.

15 www.hatalk.com Attaching the Comb

18) Find the centre of the comb by counting 19) Thread the needle with quilting thread the prongs. Mark this with a loop of thread. (30cm double) and knot. Overstitch into the The comb prongs need to face towards the organza at the centre line (marked earlier) longer end of the veil (as opposed to the and thread through the knotted loop to blusher end which covers the face and is secure. Make your first stitch on the centre shorter), with the curved surface of the comb line and under the bar of the comb marked sitting neatly under the gathers of the veil. with the thread.

20) Continue to overstitch, one in each prong 21) Bring gathering and zig zag threads to the of the comb, gathering up the pleats as you top side and tie together with your stitching go until you reach the end of the comb. All threads. Trim off any excess and loop over to gathering be on the comb, so adjust make tidy. Stitch over this loop and continue the gathering thread if necessary. back along the comb again, overstitching on each prong back to the centre. 16 www.hatalk.com The mantilla veil can be worn gathered slightly at the (recommended for shorter or those wishing to give height to the veil to reveal details on the neckline of the dress) or completely flat. When positioned at the back of the head, on a bun or chignon, the veil must be gathered in order to get the correct shape.

Next month, Denise Innes-Spencer will explain how to make silk organza flowers to attach to your mantilla veil - don’t miss it!

17 www.hatalk.com Diary Dates: Upcoming Workshops at The British School of Millinery

The British School of making, pattern drafting, veil and flower Millinery Studio, Cheltenham making. This 5-day course has everything 6th August 2015 ~ you need to learn to start a bridal accessories Fabric business. Level: Beginners and Improvers Level: Beginners and Improvers Cost: £85.00 (including materials) Cost: Discount - £395.00 for all 5 days

10th - 14th August 2015 ~ 18th September - 4th December 2015 ~ Summer School Workshop The Complete Milliner Beginner’s Course A course where you can learn Denise Innes-Spencer will take students through exactly what you want to learn. the techniques that every new milliner needs to Level: All know. From blocking straw and felt, to making Cost: £400.00 (not including materials) basic , to producing your own manufactured collection. 17th - 18th August 2015 ~ On this course you will learn: Make a Fabric Covered Headdress Felt Blocking 18th/19th Sept. Level: Beginners and Improvers Felt Trimming 24th/25th Sept. Cost: £155.00 (including materials) Straw Blocking 1st/2nd Oct. Straw Trimming 16th/17th Oct. 19th August 2015 ~ Sinamay Blocking 5th/6th Nov. How to Wire for a Headdress Sinamay Trimming 12th/13th Nov. Level: Beginners Fascinators 27th/28th Nov. Cost: £85.00 (including materials) Manufactured Collection 3rd/4th Dec. Cost: £800.00 (not including materials) 20th August 2015 ~ Decorated Level: Beginners Ziferblat, Manchester: Cost: £85.00 (including materials) 29th - 31st October, 2015 ~ Making 21st August 2015 ~ 1) Start your own tiara business: Make a Birdcage Veil A crash course in tiara making Level: Beginners 2) Using knitted wire fabric Cost: £85.00 (including materials) 3) Wired lace and hair-vines

17th - 21st August 2015~ Complete Bridal Millinery For full course details and bookings, go to Learn the skills of tiara making, headdress www.thebritishschoolofmillinery.com.

18 www.hatalk.com Meet the NHV Jury (from left to right)

2015 Hat Contest

Berry Rutjes Following her fashion training in The Hague, Berry Rutjes went on to specialise at the London College of Fashion in the classical, traditional Each year, the Dutch Hat Association, or Nederlandse Hoeden techniques of hat making. At her own workshop Vereniging, hold a hat making competition open to all hat makers (Berry Rutjes Hatdesign), she designs and makes everywhere. Art Deco was the 2015 theme and the 38 entries were all kinds of hats in all kinds of sizes for a great presented at a swinging 1920s-inspired show at the Kunsthuis diversity of customers, from the student Leiden art gallery in June. The professional jury, Berry Rutjes, to Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. Moniek van Sandic and Bernadette Drenth, had the difficult job Moniek van Sandic of short listing their ten favourite hats and then narrowing these Moniek van Sandick is a graduate anthropologist. down to the final three winners. Born in Brabant, she decided to stay on in Leiden after her studies at Leiden University. Since 2006, The jury’s decision was based on originality, quality and she has been, in her own words, a good-humoured municipal council member. In recent years, in her craftsmanship. This year’s winning hat was made by Renée Gase, capacity as a registrar, Moniek has had who was presented with the coveted NHV silver hat pin and a many opportunities to enjoy the special hats financial prize at the end of the show. worn by the mother of the . Bernadette Drenth All of the competition hats then went on display at Kunsthuis Bernadette Drenth graduated as a textile designer Leiden until the end of June. As in previous years, exhibition visitors at the Amsterdam School of the Arts. Her work could vote to help decide the winner of the Public Prize, which is inspired by traditional textile techniques and will be announced at the NHV’s National Hat Day on 7th November historical . She combines this with 2015. For the first time, hat enthusiasts could also vote remotely unusual materials such as plastics, cardboard, tin and even wood. The result is - through the NHV’s Facebook Page. sculptural clothing which could be described more as walking art than fashion. Turn the page to see this year’s winning hats...

19 www.hatalk.com 1st Place: Art deco anno nu 20 www.hatalk.com by Renée Gase 2nd Place: Josephine by Monique21 Scheldeman www.hatalk.com 3rd Place: Blanc & noir by Rolien Korstjens

22 www.hatalk.com The Short List...

From Left to Right: Shortlisted hats by Rolien Korstjens, Angelika Löbering, Clementine Jesterhoudt, Renee Gase and Monique Scheldeman

From Left to Right: Shortlisted hats by Piet van Manen, Mieke Geluk, Clementine Jesterhoudt, Piet van Manen and Elly Stemerdink

23 To find out more about the NHV, gowww.hatalk.co to www.nederlandsehoedenvereniging.nm l. Send us your questions and comments! Do Letters to the you have a problem needing a solution? Or information that you’d like to share? Editor... Email us! [email protected]

Question: What should I use to apply straw stiffener to rolled sinamay edges?

Answer: Back in Issue 67, millinery artist Bridget Bailey of Bailey Tomlin demonstrated how to create her signature rolled sinamay leaves. In that tutorial, she suggested using a paint brush to apply straw stiffener to the tip of the leaf so that it could be rolled into a sharp point. This part of the leaf is small and delicate, however, and applying too much stiffener will make a mess.

To get round this problem, Bridget suggests decanting straw stiffener into an empty jar of clear nail polish. The small brush is the perfect size to get to those places that just need a tiny dab and because it is connected to the lid, you won’t lose it and it won’t dry out. Just be sure to label the jar - you certainly don’t want to paint your nails with straw stiffener!

Note: Straw stiffener is toxic and should always be used in a well ventilated area.

24 www.hatalk.com The Back Page

Have you downloaded your copy of the 2015 Royal Ascot bonus edition of HATalk e-magazine yet?

An extra issue of HATalk has now been added to the HATalk Library and it’s free to all current subscribers. The issue contains over 140 pictures from Royal Ascot 2015, including some of the British Royal Family.

To get your copy, simply log-in to www.hatalksocial.com, click on the HATalk e-magazine tab at the top of the page and open the HATalk Subscriber’s Instant Millinery Library. Here you will find every issue of HATalk ever published, including the brand new Ascot edition.

If you happen to spot one of your hats in this special issue, be sure to tell us so that we can credit you on all our social media channels.

HATalk Give Away... You still have time to enter our latest Give Away draw to win a copy of the book Hats by Madame Paulette. For your chance to win this fabulous prize, visit www.hatalksocial.com and ‘like’ the HATalk Give Away blog post by July 31st 2015. You will then automatically be entered into the competition. The winner will be announced on August 1st 2015. Check HATalk Social for full terms and conditions.

Contact Us! Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or post on our Facebook, Twitter or HATalk Social pages and we’ll be sure to get back to you.

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