People don’t wear hats often enough these days. There was a time when no self-respecting lady or gent would leave the house without one but, unless it’s winter or you have a penchant for getting stared at in the street, it’s not a terribly 21st century thing to do. There are occasions where headwear is still considered appropriate, but the general lack of interest in millinery leaves discerning modern consumers with few stylish options.
When I discovered I had five weddings to go to in 2008, I treated myself to the 1950s style frock I’d been lusting over and began pondering suitable accessories to finish off the outfit. A pillbox hat seemed the perfect accompaniment but most high street stores only stocked feather fascinators. So, when a friend told me about someone who could make what I was after, it wasn’t long before I’d commissioned my first piece of bespoke headwear.
Emma Duggan is the woman behind Sakura Millinery and her Etsy shop is full of glamorous vintage-inspired pieces, any of which can be adapted to your requirements. I emailed her about a small hat I liked and asked if it could be made in colours to match my dress, which was not a problem. Emma was a pleasure to deal with, so the hat was even more special when it arrived as it felt like I knew the woman who had designed and made it for me. Since then I have ordered more, either adaptations of existing pieces or design collaborations between the two of us, and all are well made and good value for money.
Not that you can put a price on the number of compliments I receive each time I wear them. For this alone I would highly recommend a Sakura Millinery piece for any vintage or retro gal who is after the perfect finishing touch to her look.
Oh thank you for posting this! I found Sakura at LAM once, years ago, and bought a lovely fascinator, then never saw Emma again and forgot the name of her company. Very useful, will bookmark this time!