I was born in Remscheid, Germany & became interested in the craft of hat-making early in life. When I was a little girl, I liked to spend time with our neighbour, who was a Milliner, & she gave me a beautifully hand-crafted hat that I loved to wear when I would dress up pretty. After I finished school, I completed a 3-year apprenticeship with a Milliner, followed by another 3 years as a journeyman Milliner. I eventually took over the business in my hometown & later moved my business to Düsseldorf. During this time, I studied evenings for my masters & became a fully qualified Master Milliner in 1985.
My creations have been featured at Prêt-à-Porter & Première Classe in Paris, Collections Premiere Düsseldorf (CPD), Accessorie Circuit in NY & the Premiere Women’s Wear & Pure in London. I was recognized by “International Design Hats” as being in the class of “the best hat designers in the world” from 1996-2002.
I moved to Canada in 2010 & have continued my passion for creating things. As well as hats, I design & sew unique scarves & shawls using multiple fine quality fabrics. I sell these, along with hand crafted decorations, from my home in Black Creek, BC
The process for making my custom hats
In discussion with my client, we choose the desired hat style and materials, colours and finishing touches. I use only very fine quality straw or rabbit felt samples which come from Germany, Italy and France. I measure the client’s head for a perfect fit.
Then I select the appropriate wooden mould, one of more than 50 in my collection. The selected straw or felt base is then steamed to soften and pulled over the mould to dry. By hand I shape the brim with steam and heat. I then add the individual details. At the end of many hours, no two hats are exactly the same, but each is made with all my care and attention to detail.
My hats are all hand made in every detail. This is what makes them so exclusive. This collection makes them a strong accent on the individual. People live in these hats.
