Royal Ascot Fashion Show 2010 features top British designers

The Royal Ascot Fashion Show, returns to the Bessborough Restaurant for the five days of Royal Ascot.

The catwalk frontliners for this year are the Grand Dame of British fashion and three times British Designer of the Year, Vivienne Westwood; maestro of milliners, Stephen Jones; fashion’s finest Amanda Wakeley, who recently received an OBE for her services to the fashion industry; entourage to the stars Matthew Williamson; and the holder of three Royal Warrants, Gieves & Hawkes.

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Rachel Trevor-Morgan: Milliner to HRH The Queen

So moving swiftly on from ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’, we bravely turn to HRH Queen Elizabeth.

Yes my lovelies, I got to chat to the Royal milliner Rachel Trevor-Morgan, which was an amazing honour.

Rachel’s pieces jumped out at me whilst I was reading about the latest Ascot hats from this year, and I couldn’t wait to ask her how she got to design hats for the Queen…

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You have a very broad range of pretty designs – how would you describe your style?
Feminine, glamorous, elegant, flattering.

What made you decide to become a milliner and how long have you been in business?
I must have been made subconsciously aware of hats by my mother’s love of them – she had a reputation for always wearing a wonderful creation on Sunday mornings. My childhood ambition was to become an actress and it is from this sense of the dramatic that my passion for millinery evolved. I served a traditional apprenticeship with Graham Smith, a brilliant milliner and a perfectionist; in my mind his workmanship is second to none. Learning my craft in his workroom was the best start I could have wished for, he offered a rigorous training in the disciplined craft of millinery whilst maintaining the individuality of design and flawless finish which are central to its art. This background gave me a strong base in couture millinery.
I am now entering my 19th year in business which sounds a frighteningly long time!

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Hey Sailor!

After a looooooooooooooooong break Hatastic! is back with a gorgeous milliner called Kat Toronto and her hat company ‘Hey Sailor!’ www.hey-sailor.com

I absolutely adore her pieces especially as I had the task of having to use a pheasant feather in a bespoke piece for one of my clients, and having never used feather before, I am in awe…

How would you describe your designs/hats?

Pheasant Feast Fascinator by Hatastic!

Most of the hats that I design for Hey Sailor! are inspired by an era, be it the 1940s or the 1740s. I like to call my designs “Vintage Inspired Hats of Distinction”.

What made you decide to become a milliner and how long have you been in business?
Hey Sailor! hats stemmed from my search for whimsical vintage hats about five years ago. I am the singer for the band Ragwater Revue and my stage persona is a 1940s noir femme fatale, so of course I needed some amazing vintage 1940s tilt hats, but I wanted mine with a twist!

I began making my own vintage-inspired hats because after searching and searching on places like eBay and other vintage clothing sites, I was unable to find the vintage style hats that I so longed for. My background is in textile and costume design so with that knowledge under my wing I taught myself the art of millinery.
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An A-Z of Fashion for Royal Ascot

Forget the official rules, here is an A-Z of practical ‘dos’ and ‘dont’s’ when it comes to Royal Ascot fashion:

Ascot As usual, Ascot will act not just as the backdrop to the world’s finest race meeting, but also to the colour and variety of contemporary and traditional fashions.

Beauty A fresh-faced female will be picked out from the crowds at Royal Ascot by Europe’s leading model agency, Models 1, to become ‘The Face of Ascot 2010.’ Scouts will be on the lookout during the opening two days of the Meeting.

Cravats Just not quite the done thing these days. Wear ties with Morning Dress unless you’re at a wedding!

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Beach Blanket Babylon

No – not the rather hip and trendy bar in Nottinghill (although it is the official venue of London Fashion Week 18–22 September – so quite cool really),

but Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon, the longest running musical revue in theatre history! It’s a zany musical spoof of pop culture with extravagant costumes and outrageously huge hats.

A resounding ‘Ahhhhhhhh, that’s what she’s trying to get at!’ I hear you cry. Well yes, if you think of Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, you are halfway there!

The reason I’m whittering on about crazy type of hats is that I was asked if I could make three pieces for the ‘Seaside Sisters’ who are attending London Summer Craftacular on 22 August 2009.

The brief they gave me was,‘We are going for a retro seaside look’ and later ‘We’re making pinnies and sailor scarves and we might even have Seaside Sisters tattoos!’~

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Marcantonio Canters into Business

So following on from last weeks’ blog, where I interviewed Louis Mariette (who I incidentally saw in my local suppliers this week!), you may remember that he would love to see Kristin Scott Thomas in one of his creations?

Well this week I am interviewing a lovely milliner whose career was launched into the spotlight by the fact that the very same Kristin Scott Thomas commissioned one of her fabulous and feathery pieces.

Pictured right: Kristin Scott Thomas by Fiona Hanson
This week I am interviewing the very lovely and talented Jane Marcantonio…

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How would you describe your designs/hats?
My headpieces are bespoke, sophisticated, chic and eye-catching and you will feel fabulous wearing one of them!

What made you decide to become a milliner and how long have you been in business? 
I studied Design & Applied Arts specialising in Fashion, at Edinburgh College of Art from 1999-2003. I graduated with a BA Hons which lead me to the film industry. After four years, I started to contemplate my own business and felt that there was a niche in the market for large headpieces which were not small fascinators, nor hats. I have been designing and creating for a year-and-a-half.

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Grab a Glorious Hat for Goodwood

2009: Well the day is nearly upon us! What? You say…The Eclipse? Or Ladies Day at Glorious Goodwood? Well BOTH! Sort of…

Ladies Day is this Thursday 30th July – less than a week away! And some of you may not have realized but there was an Eclipse on Wednesday of this week…granted – it didn’t show itself in the UK – you may have mistaken it for the black cloud of Swine Flu or other such depressing news…

But ENOUGH I say, for I bring you very exciting Hatastic! news!

I am so excited that Glorious Goodwood is finally here, which is I’m sure you know, the racecourse that combines the highest quality racing with exceptional entertaining.

In light of this, I have some fabulous suggestions for yummy and fun hats to wear at such fabulous a race meeting, and especially for my fabulous readers who are to attend Ladies Day there.

This year, it’s all about colour and primary colours too. In a recession it seems that the brightest and most cheery colours are in the shops right now. ‘Glorious’ is the buzzword for the day, and my goodness are there amazing floral headpieces to be had! Pictured above: Victorian inspired hat by Hope from Marshall. These are my little finds to whet your appetite…

Raisie by Gina Foster	Cherry Fascinator by Heavenly Halos
Fay by siggihats.co.uk	Basket of Roses by Lyndell

If you require a bespoke piece for your special occasion or for anything else, please email me!

www.hatastic.folksy.com