Where are these crazy hats made?

I make every headpiece myself, from scratch, in my design studio in the garment district in New York City. It’s 20 minutes from my apartment and my kid’s school. I’m a hyper local brand! Sometimes I might get a little help from an intern or a friend, if I get really busy, but mostly I do it all myself.

How do you make your headpieces?

I use materials like wire, felt, fabric, Fosshape, a wide variety of millinery materials, and sometimes a little craft foam. Then I cover the base with luxury fabrics, trims, chains, metal things, upcycled and vintage jewelry. I use the same materials a traditional milliner (hat maker) might use, as well as sculptural techniques, to create something that’s comfortable, wearable, fits your head really well, is balanced, lightweight, and STUNNING.

Where do you get your materials?

I find most of my materials within walking distance of my studio. The NYC garment district is an amazing resource and I support my local fabric, trimming and beads stores as much as possible. I avoid Amazon whenever I can! Many of my decorations have come to me in serendipitous ways - coyote jawbones found in the woods by a friend on a hike; vintage earrings from European flea markets on my travels 15 years ago, turned into center-pieces; one of a kind fabrics found in the desert in New Mexico or in the tailor shops of Udaipur, India; wings from my childhood toys painted, bejazzled and turned into decor; sea shells from that trip to Thailand; pieces of art made by others that find their way into my art.

Are they heavy and really delicate?

Hell no! They’re well balanced, lighter than you’d expect, and quite sturdy. Hand sewing is my most used technique, but I will also use professional jewelry adhesive before hand sewing for extra strength. However, I have to say that these pieces are heavier that a straw hat or a baseball cap, of course, because they do contain metallic decorations. Some of the antlers used are real (from a bow hunter in upstate NY), and antlers are kinda heavy. But I can use 3D printed antlers too, which are very light. And yes, some pieces are a little delicate. Feathers are delicate - that’s why I don’t use them very often. Generally, you should treat these pieces like you would treat any piece of couture fashion or jewelry. Wear it, enjoy it, love it, but have a special place to store it. Put it on a foam head base so it keeps its shape and isn’t sitting on its side between uses.

How do they stay on my head?

Every pieces has either an adjustable elastic strap (like a bra strap), or a piece of elastic, or a beautiful ribbon that ties it onto your head. Adjust the tie or elastic, put your hair into a ponytail (if you have long hair), put on the headpiece and pull the elastic under the ponytail, to the back of your neck at the hairline. Now take out the ponytail and style your hair as desired. Please reach out if you have further questions on how to secure a headpiece to your head!

What about your garments, like the jumpsuits? Where and how are they made?

They are also made right here in NYC, in the same building as my headpiece design studio! 9 floors below me, there’s a very high quality clothing production shop that took my jumpsuit design that I had been making at home for myself for years, and created a pattern and samples and reproductions for me. They helped me find the perfect laces and cottons to make my own clothing line in. After over a decade of making everything by myself, it’s been such a delight to team up with someone who can offer so much help so that I don’t have to cut and sew everything myself! So I’m proud to say that they’re all locally and ethically made, too!