2 minute read
LINDA HANNAH
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Linda Hannah
Millinery Designer * Speaker Instructor *
Linda Hannah is Founder of Hat Moments, LLC. Her love for presenting on the history of hats evolved from designing hats and her appreciation of the various styles worn throughout the years. From Derby events to Teas and more, her presentations create a buzz and fond memories of times past!
Linda began sewing at the age of 12, and in addition to making some of her own clothing, she used to add decorative fabric to the bottom of her pants so they would be long enough because of her height. At that time proportion pants were not available. She also crocheted purses, belts and ties as gifts to family and friends. Linda married in her twenties and had three children. While homeschooling them, she wanted a business to supplement being a stay-home-mom. After seeing a hat that a friend had made, it sparked her interest to learn hat making. Linda took classes at Mertize Millinery in Detroit, taught her late husband Howard Sweeney, Jr., and then started a business – Uniquely Yours Custom Millinery, while also teaching the craft at a local fabric store. After several years in the business, Linda took a break from hat making to complete a goal of getting a bachelor degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. When the business was started again, it was named Forever Sweeney Millinery & Designs.
For several years, “Uniquely Yours Custom Millinery” was showcased in the beautiful showroom of Elah Image, Inc. owned by Reginald and Brandy F. Gibson. The showroom was located in the International Center of Apparel Design (ICAD) in Detroit’s Greektown. Their hats, along with customized men and women’s clothing, jewelry deigns and impeccable men’s ties of local and international designers became the talk of the town. Entrepreneur and designer Brandy Gibson marketed over 24 fashion designers that highlighted Linda and others continually in Detroit Crain’s Business, The Detroit News and the Michigan Chronicle. Brandy and Linda collaborated with designs in leather, Persian lamb, mink, and denim that became the ICAD attraction making Uniquely Yours one of the top three designers with Elah Image. Their hats and apparel was featured on a local morning show, Kelly & Company, TV7 and Christian Television Network, CTNTV20 and other networks besides their weekly Fashion Tea debut at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Dearborn, Michigan.
After almost 30 years of marriage her husband passed in 2010. Linda went through a period of not making hats, except for a family member or friend here or there. In 2011 she went to Chicago and took private millinery classes from a master milliner to enhance even further in her millinery field. Although excited by some of the techniques learned, Linda realized the demand for custom millinery wasn’t quite the same as it had been in prior years’ experiences and decided to wait and see what she might market her hats in the future. Along with her corporate job in the legal realm and staying busy with golf lessons, leagues, ballroom classes and roller skating, Linda continued to enjoy making hats for herself, her sisters, daughter and mother. She also began collecting vintage hats and learning more about their historical era.
