A millinery is a shop where hats are made and sold. Before fast fashion and large production lines, people would pay high dollar for a custom hat.
Among all the visors and baseball caps, there is a gem of a designer still embracing the beauty of luxurious head wear.
I have been fortunate enough to see the behind scenes of what goes into making a custom, couture hat. This summer I am interning with Gigi Burris Millinery in New York City!
GBM is located in a studio in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It is on the boarder of China Town and has swanky little coffee shops, stores, and galleries.
No two days have been the same at the studio! One day I am making finishes for hats and the next running errands all over Manhattan! Like the day I spent in the garment district gathering chains and various materials! I felt like I was on a season of Project Runway running in and out of Mood for fabric! ("Make it work...")
Today I was introduced to " the factory". Basically, this is where all the dirty work is done. There are large steamers and ovens that mold the hats to our desired shape. Once the hat is at the designated style and size, we take it back to the studio and add all the finishes and fluff. (Sometimes literal fluff!)
These are the wooden molds that the fabric will be steamed and shaped to! There are many styles and shapes to choose from.
This is a stack of felt hats waiting to be trimmed and perfected in order to come back to the studio.
The finished product is a perfectly stylish hat waiting to be worn! The process takes time, patience, and skill. From start to finish, making a hat is an art form that few can do well! GiGi Burris Millinery has definitely mastered the art of it all.
To check out Gigi Burris Millinery and her new line of men's wear, follow the link! https://gigiburris.com
