Supplier In The Spotlight - Butterfly Hats

How did you get into millinery?

I came into millinery in an unorthodox fashion really, having worked in the hospitality industry for my entire career and founding a successful event management company which I later sold to enable me to spend time with my family.  It was at this point that I embarked on a millinery course at Bath University before producing hats for the ITV Production of Downton Abbey.  My first creations were showcased by the delightful Kim Vine Boutique in Marlborough before I met a fellow mum at Stockcross School, Amanda Denton, who had also trained in millinery.  Together, we now operate a successful hat shop in Lambourn, which conveniently, is located in the very heart of the racing community.

What do you love about it?

I love meeting people, so for me customers are at the very centre of my business and you do get to meet such interesting characters which I adore.  I often talk at local events, Ladies lunches and W.I Meetings and the fact that people are generally interested in millinery techniques is always fascinating.

All of my hats are totally unique pieces – no two hats are ever the same.  That gives me the freedom to really capture a customers’ personality in a bespoke creation.

Some customers are experienced hat wearers who enjoy bold designs and more flamboyant styles and this provides more scope for creativity, whilst other customers may be new to wearing hats and it is just as rewarding in finding a unique style to suit them so that they are comfortable and confident and do not feel “over-hatted”.

Often, mothers of the bride or groom come in for a consultation and I can dye the straw to match the fabric of their outfits.  It is lovely for them to think they have a totally unique hat which they can wear without the fear of another guest turning up in the same hat! One lady even had one of her late mother’s earrings sewn into her hat so that she could be part of her granddaughter’s wedding day –that’s the beauty of having a uniquely crafted piece.

Image by Studio Rouge

Customers

I have been very fortunate during my millinery career so far to have created hats for both television productions and members of the Royal Family, but I am equally as proud of creating unique pieces for any of my customers to whom these hats often have more significance.  It is nice to know that one day your hat might be off to a local Christening and another day it might have an outing to Buckingham Palace!

What do you enjoy about Royal Ascot?

I love a challenge.  Trainers’ wives in particular have often been known to place orders for numerous hats all for Royal Ascot, so I need to ensure that every hat is very unique in style for each different day of the Royal meeting.  That can be interesting, especially when in recent years the weather has changed unexpectedly at the last minute and therefore the outfits change.  I am often working into the early hours of the morning in the week leading up to and often during Royal Ascot, but this is always rewarded when you get to see your hats on the TV!

Many of our customers have initiated a “hat pool” now where a group of friends might purchase various hats and then swap them around between them which encourages maximum use when we are all focused on sustainability.

How has coronavirus affected millinery this year?

2020 has been a challenging year for milliners equally as it has been for a wide range of industries as the coronavirus pandemic brought everything to a stop.  For me personally I have really missed making hats – as all of my wedding customers postponed their events until 2021.  Normally I would be making over 150 hats during the course of the year and so far this year I have made just three bespoke orders. I am fortunate that as an independent milliner, I can flex my commitments and reduce my overheads to compensate for this unexpected downturn, but everything has realistically come to a grinding halt.

I hope that 2021 will see some degree of weddings being able to return once again.  Personally, I think that many weddings might be smaller celebrations but with more effort to make them even more memorable.  Members of the wedding party will always want to look their best, so hopefully having a unique hat created to finish off an outfit will still remain as a high priority.

Trends & Fashion

I have seen in recent years the trend moving towards smaller hats even for mother of the bride pieces, a trend probably driven by the younger members of The Royal Family such as The Duchess of Cambridge, The Countess of Wessex and Zara Tindall.  These smaller base cocktail hats can have a huge amount of detail in them and they are so easy to wear.  They also avoid casting shadows under a large brim – a photographers nightmare. It’s better actually being able to see your face clearly in photographs, there is no movement of your hat on a windy day and for the greeting of guests. Plus, there is no “hat bump” either!

Purchasing

Customer consultations for bespoke orders can take place either at my home in Newbury or in the hat shop in Lambourn. Customers normally bring their outfit and accessories so that colours can be matched and different designs tried on. For the shop stock, I will continue to create a capsule collection of hats in classic colour combinations which people will be able to walk-in and purchase off the shelf at late notice if required, therefore still providing customers with a bespoke service but adapting to this ever-changing situation. A small selection of hats are also available to buy online at www.butterflyhats.co.uk

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact Michelle Boyt, owner of Butterfly Hats Email: michelleboyt@btinternet.com Telephone: 07962 154896