Model: Gemma Davy
MUA: Jane Armstrong Mua
Photographer: Ellie Victoria Gale Photographer
Your hats always maintain a style that is distinctly yours, how much do you take trends into account?
"I don't. I have no idea what is "in" this season. I don't buy fashion magazines, I follow some on Facebook as I am in love with amazing high fashion photography but in truth I am far more interested in the photography than the fashion in the image. When I create I occasionally half consider what I think will sell, then I throw that thought out and do what I want to do. So my range is very varied as one day I want create something elegant in ivory, lace and pearls and the next I want glam rock, glitter and insects. I don't keep up with my "competition" as I don't compete with anyone apart from myself and I don't really know who is charge of telling us how to wear our hair, what colour lipstick is current or how to style our eyebrows!? I think having a personal style is far more important than listening to what anyone else tells you is "allowed". I bought a few fashion magazines recently as I was going to be without the Internet for the night, I was horrified by most of what passed for fashion and relieved that what I do isn't fashionable, it's fun!"
Which do you prefer, Xmas or Halloween?
"I wish every day was Halloween and I guess in my home it is! I created a Halloween range this year but I didn't want to do that obvious Halloween ideas and themes ie. witches hats, pumpkins, orange, black, vampires etc. I wanted to do something different, the same applied to my very last minute decision to create an Xmas range... both turned out very sparkly, pop surreal and quirky. I have a million ideas running around my head but I didn't want to create anything that was too specific to either season as i do feel that if you are going to invest in a fascinator which is a statement it's a good idea to have something you can wear more than once or once a year!"
Voodoo Mon Amour – Glitter Dolly Fascinator
Pearls and swine hats have been inspired by everything from religious iconography to giant cherries. Is anything out of bounds or something you are particularly wanting to try?
"Traditional flying saucer hats, you know the kinds you see at Ascot. Happily I have never been asked to do such a thing as I really don't think I ever could go there! I am not very interested in classic bridal head-wear or the fascinators that consist of a feather and a spray of sinamay that you see in department stores... utterly horrible! A hat is a statement, for me I'd rather have a hat that makes you smile."
Sacred Heart
Model: Isobella
MUA: Jane Armstrong Mua
Photographer: Ellie Victoria Gale Photographer
When you sit down to create a new collection how do you work best?
"I have a few collections I am contemplating for next year, sometimes i just write a word on a piece of paper or I draw something in my diary. I have a huge shelf in my studio where I place bits and pieces that I want to turn into head-wear. I am very much in the moment... I will be inundated with orders and suddenly I HAVE to put a new creation together, I won't even really be aware that I am doing it. I get quite cross with myself as i have just added more pressure. Or I will fulling intend to do a collection but the inspiration goes all wrong and I find myself doing something else altogether... for example I have intended to do a range of rather authentic vintage head-wear, I love "proper" vintage stuff but the inspiration won't come. I just can't control it or tame it... it is my monster and it only wants glitter!"
Do you have a person you think of when designing? Who would you most like to see wearing your work?
"I create what I am feeling, what I create is very personal to me, I am expressing my hopes, dreams, sadness, anger, joy, fears, obsessions, fascinations, my sense of humour... so when I create I don't create for anyone but myself, this is why I try to avoid what other designers are doing. I don't want to be influenced or deterred from creating as if I see something has been done I tend to want to avoid it, this interrupts my journey and in doing that I lose a part of a process which is leading me to the next creation. I see this as a creative journey, not a way to make a quick buck. I have had a dream to have one of the ladies from the blog Advanced Style in my work and that dream is about to come true as i have recently met one of those ladies, Sue Kreitzman, and she has agreed to model for me. She is an amazing artist and I am smitten with her!"
Your hats are sparkly, whimsical and often extravagant, what defines a pearls and swine customer?
"My customers tend to be quirky, people who aren't afraid to be noticed. I must say I am very fortunate as a small independent designer, most of my business come from word of mouth, the kindness of strangers who enjoy what I do and my reputation, my customers are amazing people! I honestly just feel lucky that what I do resonates with anyone else as like I have said what I do is very personal to me. I just want to keep going and I aim to make people happy as that is the cherry on the top of what I do."
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