In fact what are the sources of millinery inspiration – where does the inspiration to create a hat or headpiece come from? Put succinctly they are many and varied but often based on personal experiences and are coupled of course with exposure to a variety of fashion, trend and historical influences.
To explain a little about where my personal millinery inspiration comes from, I thought I would take an example, in this case, “Lost in Space”, and write about the inspiration and concept behind the headpiece, as well as the journey to create the headpiece, pictured here.Lost in Space was my millinery submission for the space-themed competition with a requirement to include some recycled materials, staged in September 2024 at the Millinery Meet Up of the North American Millinery Group in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
If you would like to read more about the various creatives involved along the way in this collaborative journey please click on the links highlighted in bold, through the text
It was during the Spring of 2024 when I had already made several couture headpieces featuring various wrapping techniques, using recycled wool ribbon, that Meg Fletcher, a young local designer approached me suggesting a collaboration.
Meg was launching a cutting-edge fashion collection featuring various local themes she had created especially for the collection. The main inspiration was her relationship with the rural environment of our county, in particular the area with which we are both familiar that of North Northumberland.
Meg was keen to work with local creative talent for her collection “Home Ground” and commissioned me to create two headpieces for the collection. She also worked closely with other creatives including our local blacksmith, a fine artist and a young jewellery designer.
Coincidentally Meg’s headpiece concept for her collection also featured a “wrapping technique” over a slim crown inspired horn-like structure.
Once I had created a prototype, together we made the final adjustments to the design.
The final commission was for two contrasting elongated horned headpieces wrapped in recycled wool ribbon that I had already sourced, both pieces feature contemporary halo styles.
The headpiece was named Shadow Horn – and the two colourways – a light wool grey and a charcoal version, featured different horn treatments, seen here in the images by Jack Heron.
In these images by Jack, model Bex Masters wears the Dark Shadow Horn headpiece, the Jersey Shadow dress with piping detail and a dramatic knot draped back.
The Shadow Horn headpiece collection was launched at Meg’s stunning launch show “Home Ground”. The show, in front of an audience of over 200, accompanied by live medieval music was set in the Inner Bailey of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, in mid-August 2024.
Alnwick Castle is the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. The castle has been used as the setting for many film shoots including Downton Abbey and several of the Harry Potter films.
In these images by Jack Heron, model Felicity Rose wears the Light Shadow Horn headpiece, and the Liz Cape with the Corby Dress. The cape features Meg’s Northumberland toile with print illustrations by Liz Newton.
By this stage, having now made four or five variations on the horn theme, and appreciating the various potential interpretations of the design I created another option. This somewhat softer version, made in a similar method, was wrapped in recycled shredded denim, and finished with upcycled vintage rosary beads. For sheer fun the ends of the horns were twisted back, reminiscent of Princess Leia! I wore the denim version to the joyful launch of the Home Ground, in August 2024.
I’m pictured here at Meg’s launch show in the Alnwick Castle Guest Hall with The Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland, Dr. Caroline Pryer (R) model Bex Masters; and Carol Wallace (L). All four of us are wearing headpieces I have created.
So when thinking about the sources of inspiration for a sci-fi inspired headpiece for the Millinery Meet Up competition, I felt that some of the techniques I had used earlier in the season for the Shadow headpieces might be a useful progression for the “wrapped” theme featured in the Shadow collection.
Inspired by the “cool” imagery of The Frozen Planet concept I decided to use a neutral palette to unite the various threads of my sci-fi concept. Like the earlier wrapped pieces, the basic material used was sparterie, a vintage form of millinery buckram. This was overlaid with stretch glitter fabric, finished with a crin visor, recycled plastic bottles, and vintage rosary beads.
This time I created a fluid open-ended garland that aims to excite the imagination! The essence of the concept is of travelling through the universe to a distant planet. This journey through space is playfully emphasised by the use of the graduated wrapped technique around the garland, to suggest the rotating route taken by a space capsule to reach the distant destination of the Frozen Planet. An iridescent visor has been added to complement and balance the design reminiscent of the visors worn by astronauts.
As often happens with millinery the process of making Lost in Space was a story of initial inspiration followed by the rolling development of the concept. Working through the various stages of creating the basic halo shape, the design concept developed hugely from my early pieces which had been blocked traditionally over wooden blocks.
It was the development and making of the free-form horn-inspired shape with all its various processes, including the experimentation involved in creating the shaped visor, that allowing the design to develop organically. In my experience “organic development” of a design is essential for spontaneity, which will eventually shine through in the finished hat or headpiece.
The images of Lost in Space were shot in the Flat Iron Square, Asheville, in late September. Of all the individuals involved in the collaborations I have described, a special mention must go to photographer Ruslan Tumash and model Kelan Ross. It was a dreadful afternoon in Asheville, but despite this Kelan and Ruslan kept clicking the shutter! What none of us could have known was that it was the afternoon before Hurricane Helene struck which so devasted this lovely city and the surrounding area.
The professional images included in this post were taken by creatives who grasped the nature of the artistic inspiration, appreciating the concepts eing explored which in turn their imagery ably represents. I have credited the originators of these images but must of course give a special mention and huge credit to Meg Fletcher, the local award-winning designer who is just starting on her creative career.
Meg has overcome a number of personal challenges throughout her young life but has created her first post-university collection by applying dedication, tenacity and sheer hard work, to illustrating huge creative and technical mastery of her art. Inspired by her local environment in “Home Ground” Meg envisioned a Northumberland-themed collection worthy, in my opinion, of a contemporary film set! Now I can’t wait to see her next project come to fruition.