Fit for a king

Local atelier and award-winning hat maker Catherine Kelly has made hats for celebrities for years, but the latest brief has been her most regal. The brief was to design a hat for Jodie Haydon for the King’s Coronation ceremony. Jodie was accompanying her partner, Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese for the once-in-a-lifetime event.

Catherine said, “Jodie had her dress already made and the idea was to match the dress to the hat for ultimate elegance. The fabric of the dress and an idea of a style helped to guide the project. We tried on lots of samples and headpieces that we already had made to see which silhouettes and styles she preferred.”

“We searched our block collection for options and I made some prototypes of shapes so that Jodie could see proportion and comfort. We knew the hat had to be worn all day and therefore had to be comfortable, and also discreet and appropriate for the occasion.”

And it all started with Darling. On a local visit to Balmain, our local federal member and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was given copies of the Darling magazine. Featured in the magazine was local millinery store, Embellish Atelier and Jodie made an instant choice to support a local business in the electorate of Grayndler.

Catherine said, “It is definitely a career highlight and such a privilege to make a hat for this once-in-a-generation event.” Catherine also had to work under strict confidence making the importance of the job even more special.

Many Australian attendees to the King’s Coronation chose Australian designers and Jodie was no exception. Her dress was designed by Karen Gee, a Sydney based designer who, to minimise textile waste, only produces made-to-order fashion.

The same material as the dress was used in keeping with the whole look. “The dress material was thick which was quite tricky but we experimented with different ways of using the fabric and created a sample with the fabric and trim ideas as a first start. There’s nothing like a challenge to create a perfect result!”

When news hit that a local milliner had made the hat, the excitement was shared with the whole Balmain and Rozelle community. Messages of support on social media were pouring in for Catherine and her team, and it was a memorable moment to see a local independent store featured on the world stage.

The meticulous process of hat-making:

1. Chose blocked buckram base. Two layers were used to provide a firm foundation.

2. Adjusted the depth and corrected the head fit.

3. Wire in the head fit.

4. Made a pattern from the block.

5. Cut fabric from that pattern.

6. Fuse fabric to tip to maintain shape.

7. Stitched tip down.

8. Created bias that was then doubled for the sideband.

9. Handstitched side band.

10. Created trim.

11. Stitched on trim.

12. Attached head fit.

13. Inserted lining.

14. Ready for hat fitting!