I remember in the early nineties people saying the hat was just for old women, but that's ridiculous.
Hats are for life's ultimate moments. They're worn at races, at weddings. Occasions many of us, who aren't royals and celebrities, only attend once or twice in a lifetime.
Hats are really for ultimate occasions, so when I make one, I try to do something different, something noticeable.
I empathise with the fact that people want to look their best. A hat is all about how it makes you feel - it's so much better than a nip and tuck, and a lot less painful.
Hat-making is laborious and time-consuming. It's a very tactile medium, and you can develop the skills, but it's one of those things: you either have it, or you don't. I love bringing something to fruition with my hands that gives people pleasure.
When you meet someone, you meet their face. It's the most potent part of the body to embellish.
