hatsonheads

Article Added: 17/07/2009 13:52:51
By Jenny Carson

Angela Coupe and Carol Robinson make up HatsonHeads, a company who specialise in bespoke hats for any occasion as well as offering workshops in hat and fascinator making. They also make kits so you can make your own hats and fascinators to dazzle your friends at that special occasion. We spoke to Angela to find out more about their business.

Some of your hats are truly spectacular, where do you get your inspiration?
We get our inspiration from anywhere and everywhere! This morning I was looking at a piece of jewellery that had an unusual shape and thought I could use it somehow. Carol has just been on holiday and saw a sculpture that we’ll use for inspiration for our next collection.

What would you consider the most outrageous hats you’ve designed?
For our first trip to The Alternative Fashion Show in London we did a show called ‘Under the Sea’. We did corals from sea worms to sting rays. It was pretty extraordinary!  Recently a PR company asked us to design a hat to promote a particular food, I can’t say what the product is at this time but the result is big and rather unusual.

Why do you think it is that people like your hats?
A lot of people request our hats for weddings or Ascot and they want to know that no one else has got what they will be wearing. Often they’ve been to the high street and they want something unique but don’t want something that’s been made in China. With us it’s bespoke.  Frequently the mother of the bride is a bit timid about wearing a hat but even still she wants to get something different so she doesn’t turn up wearing the same hat as the mother of the groom!

Tell me about your fascinator kits
They’re our HatsonHeads design but easy to make. All the pieces are cut out and ready to fold.  For those that really can’t sew you can even glue them together! There are step by step instructions with pictures so anybody can make them.

How did you start the kits?
We started doing hen days where a group of girls would come to us or we’d go to them and we needed a kit with us so they could choose different bits for their hats.  Kits are cheaper than hats and it gives the opportunity to add extra beads or something special and make it their own.

What other workshops do you offer?
We do dressmaking, corsetry, fabric jewellery, accessories and pattern cutting. We’re looking to expand into other areas such as knitting.  Where possible we try to learn the techniques ourselves but sometimes we bring designers in for the workshops.

Can you tell me more about your catwalk shows?
They’re great fun.  Carol and I both worked in costume before so quite a lot of our designs are theatrical and colourful.  When we design catwalk shows we usually design hats to go with the outfits. Catwalk shows are good publicity and full of opportunities to talk to the media.  It’s a good atmosphere to be around as everyone is so encouraging.

How is it working in a partnership?
We complement each other.  We both work quite differently but we feed off each other.  It can be quite isolating working on your own.  Carol and I first met about 20 years ago doing a fashion BTEC course and we saw each other again at Lincolnshire University more recently where we were both studying for fashion degree.  We later set up HatsonHeads.

For more information about HatsonHeads please click here. Hothive Textiles are now stockists for the complete range of hat and fascinator kits created by HatsonHeads, for more information or to purchase please click here.