My hat-making journey started when I spent time in Europe in the Summer of 2016. I had always loved hats, and the artistry of millinery was fascinating to me. I learned how to make a hat from start to finish during the course, and I loved creating and customizing different expressive designs. In retrospect, becoming a milliner was a natural progression of the creativity I had channeled throughout my previous career.
A significant part of my business is the customization process. The hats I create for my clients are an extension of their personalities, which makes them timeless and unique. As a consumer myself, I only want to purchase things that are beautiful, high quality and sustainably produced, which is a sentiment I believe many can relate to. The consistent desire for bespoke pieces gives us confidence in our business model.
While I did technically switch careers, I retained and utilized much of the skillset I had built as a digital marketer. When I returned from Europe, I hadn’t hired a team yet, so it was only me creating, advertising, and selling my hats! Having a past life in another creative field helped propel me forward.
In 2017 when I established my first atelier in Brooklyn, New York, I felt like the universe was on my side and that things were aligning. I was getting great feedback from my first customers, and there were a few instances where people even tried to buy a hat right off my head. It was at that point that I realized I had created something special.
Our design process is intended to compliment someone’s style and personality, which usually comes through both during in-person appointments or through emails or direct messages. I have some standard hat specs, for example, baseline shapes and designs, that we can customize to each client’s vision. Each hat speaks both to the wearer and those around them, so depending on what they’re looking for, we can design a very minimal hat or exercise our creative freedom.
This design is one of our favorites! It all started in New York for me; it’s where I grew up, met some of my best friends, started my business, and where many of our hats are handmade. New York City means everything to me, and the vintage flag that is embellished on this piece is so unique!
If my hats could talk, they would be able to tell of the best days and nights of my life. We see our hats living their best lives all over the world, and it’s so special to see our clients bring them with them wherever they go.
It’s about half and half. Many of our clients fall in love with our ready-to-wear styles, and many decide to work with our design team, which is led by Tyler, who is my partner in business and life, to customize their own pieces. The customization process is a magical shared experience between our customers and our team, and we love to see our clients incorporate meaningful dates, phrases, and heirlooms into their hats.
Millinery trends are deeply tied to a country’s art and history. Accessorizing with a hat dates back centuries. Each country has a unique story of style and materials, so we expect to see different styles when traveling in Europe compared to traveling in Africa. In our United States boutiques, each shop carries a unique collection that is in part tailored to the city, but we also carry hats that transcend city lines. Our clients are very well-traveled, so we are sure to cater to different styles and tastes in each of our shops because you never know who will walk in!
The best way to connect style and sustainability is to align yourself with brands and founders that have sustainability at the core of their business. By investing in these pieces, you support their dream while acquiring a high-quality piece of clothing. My wardrobe is filled almost entirely with female-founded, sustainably made brands, and I have never had to sacrifice a day of feeling stylish. You can find sustainable brands no matter your sense of fashion or style; you just need to look for it.
I could never imagine a life without traveling! As I mentioned, our travels inform so much of my and Tyler’s creative direction and passion. When we aren’t physically in the studio creating, we’re finding inspiration and brainstorming for future collections.
I believe that the best gift is to give. My grandmothers were very philanthropic, and I’m grateful that I was raised to appreciate everything that I have and give back as much as possible. As my company grew, I contributed to charitable organizations more and more. One of my favorite things about our company is that we prioritize working with artisans, with whom our values align, over large corporations. In 2021, we donated thousands of dollars to various programs whose missions resonate with our community and us. In 2022, we will continue to grow our give-back program because this is an extension of who we are.
We are very passionate about cultivating experiences for our clients. Transparency in the creative process is unique to our business, so offering classes and events that allow people to interact with us while we create a hat is very popular! The key to success is curating spaces and events that people want to visit and spend time at; it gives an emerging business an edge to offer this.
Upcycling is a huge part of our business and makes each of our hats unique. A significant advantage of upcycling is the ability to collect uniquely beautiful pieces, whether they be pins, buttons, fabrics, or silks, which our clients can then choose to adorn their hats with. A special excitement comes with knowing you are repurposing something, and it’s wonderful to offer that in our pieces. Incorporating vintage trims means that each hat is truly one of a kind.
Good mentorship propelled my career as a milliner. The best advice that I could give a young entrepreneur is to surround yourself with people who care about your dreams and want to see you succeed. Be confident enough to accept feedback graciously and keep iterating until you get it right!
