"A hat is a living object, a reflection of the woman who wears it."
— Elsa Schiaparelli
Schiaparelli did not see hats as static objects. She saw them as alive, animated by the personality and energy of the woman underneath. And she was right. A hat sitting on a stand is just materials. A hat on a woman is a living thing, moving, catching light, drawing the eye, telling a story.
This is why bespoke millinery matters so much. A ready-to-wear hat can be beautiful, but a bespoke piece designed for one specific woman becomes something else entirely. It reflects her colouring, her personality, her mood. It comes alive on her in a way it would not on anyone else.
"I think of each hat as a collaboration between me and the woman who wears it. I provide the form. She provides the life."
— Kathryn Lee
A Little History
Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was an Italian-French fashion designer whose surrealist approach changed fashion forever. She collaborated with Salvador Dali to create the famous "Shoe Hat" and "Lobster Dress." Her rivalry with Coco Chanel was legendary. While Chanel pursued simplicity, Schiaparelli embraced the fantastical, proving that fashion could be art, humour, and provocation all at once.
