to Buckingham Palace

This hat began life at the London College of Fashion’s Summer School in 2013. I’d highly recommend that course as a great introduction to millinery. I did the Monday to Friday for two weeks and it was the best, most wonderful way to spend a couple of weeks. (They also do it on Saturdays spread over a longer period.) I was like a pig in muck (but with very clean hands which you MUST have for millinery), sitting every day, sewing, talking about hats; I should have known then that I wanted to keep making millinery. I’ll blog about the course in more detail later.

We were spoiled with so many hat blocks to play with; I hadn’t at that point, got any of my own, though I ordered a starter bundle after I’d done this course. Most of the other students were total beginners whereas I had done a tiny bit of millinery blocking before, so instead of having spare time on my hands, I blocked some extra straws to take home to Bangkok and finish later.

I had no idea what this hat would become as it flew back to Thailand with me, crown separate from the brim. But, the following New Year, my expat friend, Gale, was awarded an MBE for the charitable work she does in Bangkok and as time passed, a little idea formed in my head.

I approached Gale with this idea; I asked her if I could make her a hat to wear to collect her MBE from Buckingham Palace. This was my first (albeit backwards) commission! It was also the beginning of my understanding that hats can be enriched with meaning. (Though of course they can also be entirely without significance too and just be whatever they are: that’s the delight of a hat.) In the case of this piece, I fashioned the stylised English roses in Thai silk to represent both of Gale’s homes.

And really, what an honour (so early in my career) to have one of my hats go to Buckingham Palace.