November 1 - 7, 2023
Creating designs for the Melbourne Cup ◆ PASSION FOR FASHION: Lauren Ritchie has loved millinery for around 12 years since she began to study it at university.
BECOMING a milliner was fate for former Greta West local Lauren Ritchie. Ms Ritchie first fell in love with millinery when she took part in a millinery class at Albury TAFE with her sister where she had her first taste of the craft through making a fascinator. After that, she began looking at university courses in Melbourne where she began to study fashion design at RMIT alongside a millinery course at Kangan Institute, where she thrived in work experience. “The TAFE teacher was excellent but there’s nothing like
By CHLOE JAENICKE
working with someone else to develop your skills,” she said. Having moved from the North East to Melbourne on her own, Ms Ritchie had no idea who to approach until her TAFE teacher suggested she work with Louise Macdonald. “I was a little country kid moving from Wangaratta not knowing anyone, fresh faced out of high school and Louise and I
got on like a house on fire because I went there for work experience and then I went back and worked for her for seven years,” she said. Ms Ritchie then went on to start her own business in Melbourne where she has makes millinery creations for all occasions including TV, theatre, weddings and currently she is making a collection for the Melbourne Cup. She has a range of fascinators on her website but also prides herself in making custom designs for her customers.
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