Sharper Millinery

With a love and passion for sculpture and textiles, Sharper Millinery was born in 2006 after completing my MA. Over the last 10 years my business has grown from strength to strength as I create hats and headpieces for weddings, the races and social events. Her famous clients have included Cheska Hull (Made in Chelsea), Claire King (Emmerdale) and Gina Harding (CH4 Racing). I also have race clients who have scooped prizes for their outfits while attending ladies’ days while wearing my hats and headpieces. My work is all bespoke using traditional hand blocking and stitch techniques, draping and free forming fabrics and trims to match or compliment an outfit. I am interested in how wearing a hat makes you feel, how it makes you walk and stand. I often get told by my clients that they feel very special when wearing a hat, making you walk tall. My inspiration comes from many sources; I especially love researching historical periods to take reference to shapes and styles and mixing that with new materials and techniques to create my one off designs. Architecture, nature and travel also inspire my creations. In 2014 I was asked by How 2 Hats to write a book about making silk flowers to add to their how to range, this has been very successful. Due to its success I have been approached to write another book alongside several other milliners, this will hopefully go into production later in 2016.