General info
I grew up in the Scottish Highlands where my parents have a hotel business. From an early age my mother, who is very fashion forward, involved me with the weekly cabaret. As such, I developed a passion for fashion and grew up admiring the latest catwalk creations but my artistic side was projected through music; playing in numerous orchestras. At the age of 17 I joined the Army and trained as a nurse.
My life changed dramatically as I entered military lifestyle; enjoying the opportunity to travel but studying to gain a degree in nursing. I also gained a husband who I married at 21 - an officer in the Royal Australian Navy that was on exchange in the UK. So, within a heartbeat, I found myself moving to Australia, buying a home to renovate and pregnant. Shortly after arriving to Australia, I craved to get back in touch with my creative side and, as a lover of fashion and in particular headwear, I began my training in Millinery at TAFE. This unleashed an addiction and my life soon evolved around sewing (as well as renovating the house and having a baby!).
At the end of 2009, we relocated back to my home town of Inverness, Scotland. This was to be closer to my family and allow my parents to spend time with their granddaughter. This has been fantastic and has enabled me to do more with my millinery. Additionally, the greater access to natural feathers (either straight from the farm or given to me, like pheasant) has been inspiring. I love the texture and flexibility of working with feathers - dying them and trying to create something unique.
Education
Education:
Now at 25, I have been doing millinery for 4 years. Alongside the formal aspects of TAFE (College), I have been very lucky to work for one year under Neil Grigg (the fabulous famous Sydney Milliner) who was such an inspirational teacher. He showed me that in millinery there are no boundaries and this excited me.
Exhibits & Press
Millinery is a passion but also essential to my well-being as it is my creative outlet. I love sharing the joy of hats with clients and producing that unique piece for them. Millinery is a fading art form, but those who understand craftsmanship will appreciate the beauty and fine detail I create. I aspire to keep creating a better hat than the one before and nothing gives me more pleasure than to share my passion with someone who appreciates what I do.
Inspiration
Being one of those people who can wear any hat, I have loved collecting hats. I love the creativity and individuality that people express through their choice of headwear. My mother taught me about fashion over the years and how to dress for the occasion. She has influenced me most and through this I have learnt how to create headpieces that compliment the outfit. A lot of my inspiration comes from the catwalk, especially haute couture, where I study colour combinations, fabrics and trimmings. I then take these concepts and ideas and develop my own designs. As an avid fashion watcher, I create pieces that may reflect particular fashion but always with that extra touch of je ne sais quoi.
