aMuse Haute Hats Show

Last weekend I hosted my first hat fashion show. I wanted to envoke the style of 1950's couture houses. A time when ladies came to be shown the newest styles in an intimate, beautiful setting. The models would be beautiful, sophisticated, and perfect canvases for glamourous hats, jewelry, gloves, and bags. I think the photo above, so Vogue-inspired, is the perfect embodiment of the day.

With so many Spring hat-wearing events coming up, we wanted to show traditional and contemporary hat styles to chose for Easter, Passover, Azalea Garden Party, Kentucky Derby, and weddings. See what you think....

Several local businesses were instrumental in helping pull the whole day off flawlessly--'Style Girl' Jess James, The Dessert Divas, Bangz Hair Salon, and Island Florals by Roxanne.

That's me on the left, with 'Style Girl' Jess James, in her hat I made several years ago for a '20's fashion show she produced. Jess is a fashion writer/editor, stylist, and all-round fashion guru. She beautifully styled the models with vintage and contemporary jewelry, gloves, and bags from my shop, aMuse. Wait until you see the pictures! Great job, Jess!

Last minute backstage instructions and clarifications! Sinatra in the background singing 'New York, New York,' was our cue for the beginning of the show! Cool jazz then set the tone for our models to step out--grace, style, sophistication, hattitude!!

I invited 3 of my former students to send hats to the show. They all surprised me by not only sending some gorgeous hats, but decided to actually come for the show!

Above (center) is Diane Shaggot, Hats to Di For (Atlanta, GA), with two of her hats.

This is Jenny Pfanenstiel (center), Forme Millinery (Chicago, IL), with two of her kicky fascinators, and of course the one on her head.

And this is Andre Baxter, Christine Designs (Atlanta, GA), with the hats he brought for the show.

Now I will just let you browse the pictures, except for credit for each hat, by milliner's name. Enjoy!

Front--Diane Shaggot; Back--Jan Wutkowski

Diane Shaggot

Jan Wutkowski

Jan Wutkowski

Left--Andre Baxter; Center--Diane Shaggot; Right--Andre Baxter

Jan Wutkowski

Andre Baxter

Andre Baxter

Andre Baxter

Diane Shaggot

Jan Wutkowski

Jan Wutkowski

Diane Shagott

Jan Wutkowski

Jan Wutkowski

Jan Wutkowski

Jan Wutkowski

And for our Grand Finale--the traditional end-of-show BRIDE!

Great fun! Hard work! Can't wait to do it all again next year! We had such a fantastic response from everyone who attended and we're still hearing from those who weren't able to get in since we sold out the show early!

Thanks again to Andre, Jenny, and Diane for their beautiful hats. And to my sponsors who made it all possible--Jess James, The Dessert Divas, Bangz Hair Salon, and Island Florals by Roxanne. Thank you and much love!

Photos courtesy of Andre Baxter and Bangz Hair Salon. More coming soon!

Buckram and Wool Hood Class--East Carolina University

Last week I was at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, teaching a class to their Textile BFA/MFA students. I thought it would be a great idea for the students to bring in some of the fabulous fabrics they have worked on during the semester--shibori, silk dyeing, discharging and other fabric manipulation. They, in turn, requested that part of the class be working with felt hoods. So that is how the class curriculum evolved. Below are the pictures from that class.

Nice stash of dyed silks, cottons, and some feather pieces. These were to be used on the buckram forms provided for the class. All the buckram forms were variations of pillboxes.

The class prepares their buckram forms with domette. At right is Robin Haller, Assistant Professor of Textiles at ECU, who also took the class. She is a master weaver doing incredible work.

A stitch in time....

Everyone loved the way the wool felt molded in their hands. Just have to remember that damp and hot makes the work go much faster.

Above--the free-form shaping of the wool hood. Below--a very happy hatwearer models her hat in front of the mirror.

Love the multiple V's in this hat. Nice!

LOVE the shape of this hat!! So very 1930's!

Always inspiring to work with students on the university level, especially those who have a real love for fibers, fabrics, textiles. Thanks for a great workshop ECU.

O, Me! The Omo! Headresses and Adornment

If this video of the Omo people doesn't make you want to get up and create something then nothing will! Be sure to turn up the volume for great soundtrack to the images. We, who are interested in adorning our bodies, especially our heads, can take away MUCH from this video.

Hatty Award!

I've been awarded a 2009 Hatty Award by Hat Life Magazine! I'm thrilled! There was an international group of 30 awarded for 2009, and I am humbled to have been chosen. The Hatty is awarded to "a Website, Blog, Headwear Designer, Importer, Supplier, Manufacturer or Retailer who has made a worthwhile contribution to the headwear industry in 2009."

If you don't subscribe to to their bi-weekly Hat Life newsletter, perhaps you'd like to start. Lots of good stuff to peruse twice a month.

Washington, DC Millinery Class--Straw and Felt Blocking

This past weekend I was pleased to teach a millinery class, for the first time, at the Art League School in Alexandria, Virginia--a suburb of Washington, DC. I've been trying for years to find a place to teach in the DC area because so many people have expressed an interest from that area. I taught a class called Hats For All Seasons: Blocking Straw and Felt. I believe this is the first millinery class to be taught at the Art League School. Hopefully I'll be going back.

What you will see in this blog entry are the results of the student's felt blocking experience. They started with a 100% wool hood, and were asked to free-form shape it. I always ask them to block, re-block, and re-block using this skill, as I want them to get a real sense of what the medium will do. Until you play with the wool, by steaming and shaping, will you not get a real feel for what great abstract shapes you can achieve. It's fun!

Check out the next few pictures showing some of the class in the process of blocking their hoods. You'll see the results later in the blog entry.







Millinery students begin the process of steam blocking the wool hoods over hatblocks.

Modeling their creations in the next few pictures!

Below you will see all the hats lined up in a case. It was a great way to display all the hard work these ladies and gentleman put in to fashion their fabulous millinery creations! See what you think.

Can you believe all the diversity of shapes and colors? That's the beauty of free-form styling.

There was no time to add any embellishment to these hats, and quite frankly, many probably don't need much, if anything added to them. They are truly sculptural and works or art in their own right.

Thanks to all the Washington, DC, students for participating. You all did a super job! See you next time.

Evolution of a Hot Pink Hood

Follow the pictures as I take you on the evolution of this hot pink wool hood into a hat made for a recent trunk show. It will be initially blocked over a simple crown block and then free-formed from there. And finally embellished.

Here you see the hood in the very first blocking over the hatblock. It will have to be steamed and blocked several times to get it smoothly over the hatblock. In fact, because the tip of this block is rather flat, it was difficult to get the tip of the hood flat. I had to finish it off by using an iron and damp pressing cloth to get it like I wanted.

I use a length of 3/4" wide elastic to help hold the hood against the block and to give me stability in starting the free-forming.

Another view with further free-forming. Remember that I'm steaming as I shape. And using bead-head pins to hold shapes.

After I get the shape as close as I can get to what I've envisioned, I start trimming away bits I don't want or need in my final design. Be careful in this step!

Close-up of one of the twists that adds interest to the design. I've also added a bias cut silk band, a wide one, with fraying on the edges. The silk is a very cool grey to contrast with the hot pink.

After I secured the band I began adding some fringe, made from the roundings, and then 3 felt balls in different colors.

Final product on a mannequin head at yesterday's trunk show.

Millinery Shop's Holiday Open House

Friday night aMuse had its 3rd annual Holiday Open House! We had a great attendance, not only for the champagne and canapes, but for the work of our featured artist of the evening. After a glass of champagne or two each guest had a great time trying on my handmade hats, handmade felt scarves and bags, plus EVERYONE loves the vintage costume jewelry! A room full of women (ok, there were 3 men in attendance) sipping, noshing, and shopping...what more could you ask for? This was an offical WAWAS event (Wrightsville Ave. Working Artists Studios.)

Debra Pyeatt, the featured artist, does incredible beaded jewelry. Her designs and color combinations are spectacular. She is a local artist and is represented by several galleries, including aMuse. Debra set up her collection in the front atrium of the shop so that as people arrived they would see her first.

Debra first came into the shop a couple of years ago. It was several visits later that we realized we had a deep connection in my sister (also a bead jeweler), whom Debra had worked with in far-away Dallas, Texas. My sister passed away several years ago. We felt an instant connection and have been friends since that miraculous discovery. I get chills every time I think about our chance meeting so far from where she and my sister knew each other.

Chef Lori Eaton, who not only is a personal chef but an internet cooking show hostess, whipped up some yummy, yummy bites. I met Lori 3 years ago as I was opening the business. She popped in to have a custom hat made for a 'milestone' birthday. We've been friends ever since. Great chef, good friend, and a fun person!

My good friends Louise Giordano and Amanda deLeon. Louise is a fiber artist, represented in several galleries, and Amanda is an up-and-coming fashion designer. She was a semi-finalist at Charleston (SC) Fashion Week last year. Very, very talented ladies!

Looking for hats, headpieces, and jewelry!

That's my adorable husband in the background. Michael served as bartender for the evening. He is soooo supportive of the shop and my millinery endeavors! Also shown are raffle winner Margit Royal (trying to decide on her choice of prizes) and Amanda deLeon.

What a great night! Sold a few hats, some jewelry, and had a slew of new folks come through that were not familiar with aMuse previously. I think they left knowing they'd be back soon...I hope so!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!