FINE art graduate Maggie Mowbray is the millinery artist behind Edinburgh-based Maggie Mowbray Millinery.
What do you make?
I design and create hats, headbands, headpieces and almost everything else in between. My designs are worn by clients attending weddings, a day at the races, garden parties and even investitures and The Met Gala Ball,so most of the designs I create are for special occasions. However, I do also make a range of winter styles: trilbies, cloches etc. I make most designs to measure, so finding a hat to fit is not a problem, and I regularly meet clients at my Atelier Showroom to advise on style suitability and fitting.
"Zigi" wedding hat with veiling - £345
How do you make them?
Every style varies in how they are created. I work from my design studio on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and each design is made by hand from the initial design stage through to the finished hat. This process can take many different stages. Some elements may be machine sewn or hand stitched, but they are all produced in my studio.
Many of my hats are blocked. This is a process where the fabric is stretched over a wooden hat form or block which creates the shape of the design, after which design details can be added to finish the look. I specialise in freeform hand blocking, which is a process where the fabric (usually felt) is manipulated to create unique designs which are not pre-formed on the block. I have a fine art background, so this process allows me to be quite free, artistic and creative with my designs.
Maggie Mowbray
What materials do you use?
I work with felt, straw, sinamay, crin, feathers, leather, silk to name a few. Felt is one of my favourite materials as it can be moulded to create really organic shapes. I am drawn to flowing, movement type shapes in design. Feathers are also a great way to involve movement in the design and can be cut in so many different styles and curled to create softness. Many of my designs feature veils or veiling. I like the additional texture, it contrasts well with felt, and most customers seem to love a small veil.
"Lila" bridal perch hat - £360
What sets you apart from other makers?
I don’t come from a design background; I studied fine art and worked as an artist for many years before learning millinery skills. So I tend to design in a different way perhaps from makers with design-focused training. I generally design on the hat, so the process is very intuitive and organic. I start with a general theme that I want to work with, for instance previous collections have been named Birds of Paradise, The Dreamer, The Artist, Adagio. From there I visualise the hat then play around with different elements that I have been working with on this theme, adding and removing till I achieve the desired outcome.
What are your most popular products?
I have just launched a collection called Modern Classics. These styles are reworked styles which have proven to be really popular with my customers over the years. They can be changed to suit my clients' colour preferences and style.
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