Allison Lyndes

Design Statement: This headpiece is a futuristic fashion take on the crown worn by Princess Aura in Flash Gordon (1936). It is made from two layers of double mirrored gold acrylic that I cut on a laser cutting machine at my local makerspace. The silhouette echoes the film's crown, with cutout details and Art Deco influence. The center is a piece of the same acrylic that I thermoformed by hand into a dome shape. It is trimmed with gold painted button caps and mounted on a wire frame with elastic that helps it hover above the brow. Assembly was mainly done with adhesives.
Acrylic and laser cutting felt like strong choices for the piece, since these materials and techniques are like science fiction for millinery. I wanted to create a piece through a future thinking and outer space lens, elements that may have been considered in the design for Flash Gordon.

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Austin Gray

Design Statement: Madame Satan is one of my favorite pre-code films from the 1930s. The costumes, by Gilbert Adrian, were designed with bold shapes and lines made popular by the Art Deco movement. But he also added sensuality and drama with curvy lines that revealed the female lead's silhouette. That is what I tried to combine in my cloche design - lines, curves and dramatic flash. It's the perfect hat for that New Year's party on a Zeppelin Airship!

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Candy Warhol
Second Place

Design Statement: My hat inspiration comes from the headwrap worn by the titular character in The Invisible Man (1933). This film is notable for many reasons but mostly for its pioneering special effects, having a particularly notorious villain, and being laden with queer coding. The film features a medical bandage headwrap held together with safety pins, which I reinterpreted into a glamour turban constructed from draped bias strips of cream cashmere coating adorned with bejeweled gold safety pin embellishments. The rainbow array of colored jewels on the safety pins are an homage to the queerness of the film. The turban features a padded interior lined with pure silk which has a print of twisted gold chains that look very similar to the large pin on the front of the turban. And thanks to the padded interior, this turban has room to comfortably fit various head sizes from 21.5”-23”

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Carmen Syed
Top Ten Finalist

Design Statement: There are so many old movies which inspired me, but because I could relate to the dress worn by the heroine of ‘’The secret life of Walter Mitty”, I chose to go for a hat which will match the dress worn by the character Rosalind Van Hoorn the day she met Walter. There was a confusion about the colour of her dress when he went to the police station. The same thing happened to me when I bought a dress online: in the photo it looked light blue, but in fact it was light green. Such a wonderful shade of green that I decided to keep it. That’s how I thought of using peacock feathers, as they can play tricks on your eyes in the same way. Though while working with them in the daylight they had lots of shades of blue, in the photos they look completely green.

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Cassandra MacGregor

Design Statement: One of my favorite hat movies of all time is the original, 1939 version of The Women, directed by George Cukor.  The movie has not a man in sight and stars Norma Shearer, in amazing costumes, as she battles Joan Crawford for the affections of her husband.  It has horrible morals and underlying messages but man, those hats are stunning!  I chose a black hat that our heroine models with a black evening dress, which we first see in one of the best movie fashion shows ever filmed.  I could have picked many hats from this movie but I loved that this hat was, I think, inspired by Portrait of Madame X by John Singer Sargent.   Norma realizes at the end of the movie she should have sacrificed her pride and stayed with her husband, hence the title of the piece, My Pride.

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Ellie Ayati

Design Statement: "Timeless Allure” was created based on the Milliners Guild Mildred Blount Hat Competition, inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s chic bridal ensemble in the film Funny Face. This headpiece captures the essence of Hepburn’s understated elegance, reimagining it for today’s modern bride.

The structured wire flowers bring a fresh, modern edge while remaining delicate and feminine, reminiscent of the charm of the 1950s. The birdcage veil, with its subtle nod to vintage styling, offers a blend of old-world glamour and contemporary sophistication. Designed to complement Hepburn’s iconic dress, “Timeless Allure” reflects the same refined grace, with an eye toward timeless beauty and modern allure.

This piece speaks to the bride who desires both elegance and uniqueness, making a bold yet tasteful statement on her special day.

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Emilee Orton
Top Ten Finalist

Design Statement: I was inspired by a fabulous hat worn by Rita Hayworth in the 1944 film Cover Girl. While there are many delightful hats in the film, I chose this one in particular for its whimsical lines and classic black, white, and red color palette. I loved the way it sits perched atop her head - layered, transparent, and airy - as she dips and twirls through her dance number. I interpreted these elements into a contemporary style fascinator using a fur felt base, tulle, veiling, and silk taffeta.

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Emily Bronwen
Third Place

Design Statement: My entry is inspired by ‘Funny Face’ (1957). I adore this film; it conflates high fashion with camp effortlessly. I decided to take inspiration from the shape and texture of the hat that Hepburn wears for the photoshoot at the train station along with the colours from her iconic pink and white Givenchy dress. I decided to use a mixture of boucle and plastic tweed as the original hat is very textural. In the scene, Astaire’s character makes her cry in order to take a better photo. Hepburn is so striking in this moment; I created a diamanté teardrop to mimic this - it also links back to the diamanté headpiece she dons in the pink and white dress. In using modern materials and a more modern shape, my hope was to create something fresh and interesting that also referenced the beauty and elegance of the ‘Funny Face’ aesthetic.

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Evetta Petty

Design Statement: I love using unconventional materials. My hats have whimsy and global appeal.

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Kathy Anderson

Design Statement: I was inspired by one of the miniature hat’s Mildred designed for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. I put my own spin on it using a block that I had. The brim on this hat I like, and it is a jazzy asymmetrical look. Also thinking about my mom and a time in the Black Church women always wore hats. 

I chose red because I had a red velour body but also because of the red hat society who members wore red hats. 

I learned how to make flowers from a fabric class I took. I use the same skills I learned there to make leather. I put a floral wire inside to give me the ability to shape the flower. To give it some flair I used gold leather on the opposite side of flower. 

These were my reasons for using the materials I chose. I wanted to make a statement hat to honor Mildred Blount and I believe it would be one if she was living would make her happy.

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Janet Linville

Design Statement: My hat is inspired by two movies: ‘Ninotchka’ (1939) and ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ ( 1938). Robin Hood’s hat and Ninotchka’s have nothing really in common and neither movie is a big ‘hat movie’, but they share a rustic elegance and panache that I love. 

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Jennifer Hoertz

Design Statement: The Secret life of Walter Mitty from 1947 was one of my favorite older films to watch with my mom. Its humorous storyline about a day dreamer was totally me, and I often look back wondering if the department store fashion show and Anatole of Paris scene was the beginning of my millinery journey. My design is based on so many aspects of the hats worn in this movie from the higher toque style crowns to eye catching trims. I chose black velour fur felt to represent the sought after black book and shaped it into a modern toque with a higher bucket style crown and short brim. Inspired by placement of trims and the use of feathers, I trimmed this piece at the side with burnt peacock flue. Simple but elegant bringing the feel of vintage to a more modern interpretation for today.

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Jenny Mathison-Foster

Design Statement: The movie "The Women" from 1939 is one of my favorite “hat” movies.  It has an all-female cast featuring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell. It is filmed mostly in black and white with a glorious six-minute fashion show filmed in Technicolor. The fashions for the show were created by famed custom designer Gilbert Adrian. The hats we see throughout this movie are fabulous. I’ve been drawn to a particular hat that has several versions reflected in the film. The hat is quite tall with a dimple at the top of the crown with an upturned brim. It is similar to a vintage block that I have in my collection that I have never used until now. I was very excited to create a hat using a vintage block from the time-period of the movie for a version that can be worn today.

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Jill Courtemanche

Design Statement: I am endlessly inspired by the millinery in films from the 1940's as hats transitioned into smaller silhouettes, and the modern cocktail hat came into being. I have reimagined the draped, free form hat Eve Arden wears in the office scene of Cover Girl (1944) into a chic, summer topper for a cover girl of today and added in veiling accents as a nod to the many veiled hats showcased in the movie. 

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Judith Solodkin

Design Statement: My first impression of the Mildred Blount hat that she made for Scarlett O'Hara (Olivia de Havilland) in Gone With the Wind was tassels, tassels, tassels.

I free associated all tasseled hats, graduation mortarboards, fezzes, Tibetan and ethnic ceremonial hats and knew that was my choice. I had previously bought curtain tassels made by Brunschwig and Fils when I moved to my present house 15 years ago, had never used them and knew they were perfect as a homage to Mildred Blount.

Incorporating regal purple velvet and hanging cords I incorporated forms from 3 cone blocks that I own, stacking one on top of the other. This gave me the height I needed for 4 robust decorative tassels. Every part is stiffened, stabilized, and wired for strength to carry the cumulative weight.

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June Gumbel

Design Statement: This was an exciting assignment. I looked at hundreds of pictures and finally decided that I love the style and confidence of, Marlene Dietrich. She wears a hat like no one else. I can't say that just one hat inspired me, but, rather several elements of Marlene Dietrich's collection of berets and glamorous headwear helped me to develop my creation, which I call, "Airy Springs."

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Kate Nikolson
Popular Vote

Design Statement: This idea of design was inspired by the American 1930s film, 'Top Hat'. One of the primary scenes included the main character performing a variety of twists and hops while wearing a top hat. I was inspired by the idea of displaying a top hat in a unique way, so I was shifting its central line. In order to add a floating design effect I was revealing the metal construction underneath, which was inspired by the canes used in the dance scene. Even though the primary character is a man, I wanted to represent this headpiece as a female accessory. So the size of the top hat was reduced, which made it appear more elegant and feminine. In the meantime, for the metal construction, I used a unique lurex thread, which elevated the overall look and added a festive touch.

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Katie Allen

Design Statement: Growing up, the sorcerer's hat Mickey wore in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, at the beginning of 1940's Disney classic, Fantasia, symbolized the magical world of music, animation, and imagination set free. It is an iconic piece of Disney headwear imagery that often gets overlooked because it is a 2D image and a cartoon. I felt there was glamour to be had in the original design, but not forgetting the sense of whimsy from its nostalgic origins. Blocked on a vintage mid century hat form, in a deep royal blue velour fur felt, this pert shape suggests the peak and deep rounded cuff of the original wizard's hat. Hand beaded in silver seed beads and crystals are a scattering of shooting stars, a crescent moon, and a brilliant comet with tassel tail.

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Kelly J Morgan
Top Ten Finalist

Design Statement: My design inspiration was the Mad Hatter of Alice in Wonderland, and more specifically Mad Hatter's disease, which impacted so many in the millinery trade. Because Alice in Wonderland was a black-and-white film of the 30s, I chose a limited color palette. The burnt orange wool base and bright orange soutache reference 'carroting', a technique that exposed milliners to high levels of mercury, while the silver bow references mercury directly. Furthermore, I wanted a strong illustrative element to link the animated Disney rendition of the 50s. The overwhelming floral pattern is intended to be wonderful, wild, mad, and paradoxical while still paying homage to the popular braid/cording fashion patterns of the 30s, 40s & 50s. This metaphorically demonstrates the spreading and consuming nature of the disease on the hat and hatter.

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Laura Del Villaggio

Design Statement: In the 1939 romantic comedy Ninotchka, there is a hat, first seen in a Paris shop window, that embodies the frivolity and decadence of capitalism and then a transformation for lead character Nina Ivanovna Yakushova. Nina, portrayed by Greta Garbo, is a resolute and dignified envoy from Moscow, fully committed to communist ideology. Upon seeing the whimsical felt hat, she exclaims: “How can such a civilization survive which permits women to put things like that on their heads? It won’t be long now, comrades!” 

After falling in love with Count Leon d’Algout (Melvyn Douglas), Nina buys the hat. It symbolizes a softening of her ideals, though not necessarily a full embrace of fashion and consumerism. Nina is joyful. She laughs! The original hat features a high crown and is hand-stitched: utilitarian in construction albeit avant-garde in silhouette. Using that eccentric shape as inspiration, I created a version that is light and elegant, combining two vintage black laces with a modern floral lace, all carefully stretched and sewn over a tulle-wrapped millinery wire frame.

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Lisa McFadden

Design Statement: A nod to the toast of Paris! Josephine Baker developed a brilliantine hair product called "Bakerfix," the perfect complement to the fashionable cloche hats of the era and the liberated women who wore them. Here, the hat style is merged with the international star's undeniable signature coiffure in a full sequined, patterned and wired, hand crafted Trompe l'oeil type of headpiece inspired by a scene in her 1934 film, Zou Zou.

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Liz Douglas

Design Statement: This hat, inspired by Ava Gardner's iconic headwear in the 1945 film "She Went to the Races," merges classic craftsmanship with contemporary flair. Utilizing traditional blocking techniques, each curve and contour was meticulously shaped by hand, including the heart-shaped crown. Modern design elements were sewn in, including a black mesh overlay for the brim and trim. A small tree branch was painted black, along with a bird that has been hand feathered with veiling integrated to add a fun twist to the overall timeless silhouette. The result is a sophisticated fashion piece that pays homage to vintage Hollywood glamour with a modern eccentric twist. This piece creates a subtle but unique accessory that stands out in any wardrobe.

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Margie Trembley

Design Statement: My piece entitled "A Hat For Ginger" was created using luscious velour felt and an elegant embroidered embellishment that I doubled around the front of the hat to make the pearls stand out. I sewed these two by hand onto the hat as well as the patent leather leaf to add to the overall look. The final touch for the side of the hat was the additional two feather mounts in midnight black. The red and black dots were created separately and added to the gold netting which was then tacked down to create an overall look tying in with the embroidered embellishment. My inspiration from the movie "Top Hat" with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers from 1935. As a little girl some years later, I enjoyed seeing them dance and especially his movement with his top hat as he kept time with the music.

Ginger gets hers too!

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Mela Hoyt-Heydon
Top Ten Finalist

Design Statement: Lana Turner makes the best entrances in the 1947 version of the Three Musketeers, due to her oversized hats with a strong nod to 1940’s fashion. My goal was to create a modern hat worthy of any grand entrance today, referencing the scale and feel of her green hat. The hot pink and black coloring was selected as a nod to Barbie, who continues to be a strong role model today in the same way that the film stars of the 1930's and 1940's were for women then. The hot pink and black houndstooth buntal mat was hand blocked, wired, wire edges mulled, edged in black silk, and trimmed with vintage velvet trimmings. Velvet bows were added to the backside to make sure the exit was just as memorable as the entrance. A double elastic was added to help secure the hat as opposed to a period bandeau.

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Moire Bagale
Top Ten Finalist

Design Statement: Cover Girl 1944 - As a costume drama enthusiast and a textile and milliner artist, I was so excited about this challenge.

I have learned so much about fashion and millinery design by watching the movies. The hats in the movies in the 1940’s that I was drawn to were the ones that evoke fun, flirty playfulness, grand musicals, and high fashion. The women were so chic then like our mothers were. I wanted to find a hat that I could re-create that would make a statement and also use materials that I already had in my studio. Sustainability has become an important design concept. The construction started with a buckram and wire frame. It was then covered with a silk and flocked black-and-white striped fabric. Soft silks roses and handmade decoupage feather plumes are adorned with vintage hand painted stem flowers. A padded velvet headband was added for style and comfort.

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Patrycja Grzesznik

Design Statement: I was intrigued by the elaborate costumes and sets of “Caesar and Cleopatra.” In many cases they were a departure from what we believe ancient Egyptians wore. Vivien Leigh’s headdress would be impossible to wear today, with heavy, dangling strands of lapis lazuli beads and what looks like metal casted wings. In my everyday interpretation, I tried to convey this opulence, while editing out all impractical elements. Copper plate reflects everyday in Ancient Egypt style - nobles wear gold jewelry, the masses - copper.

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Rowell Concepcion

Design Statement:  My star headpiece draws inspiration from the iconic 1941 film, Ziegfeld Girl. I aimed to capture the headpiece's elegant structure and whimsical charm, reimagining it with a futuristic twist.

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Saar Snoek
First Place

Design Statement: This hat is inspired by the 1934 film, Riptide, starring Norma Shearer. I chose it because it feels surprisingly contemporary and is featured in one of the last pre-Code films. During Hollywood's Golden Age, the Hays Code, a strict moral code, censored many subjects such as lustful kissing, interracial relationships, nudity, homosexuality, divorce, smuggling, and even men and women in bed together. The code was abandoned in 1968, but for many decades, women's roles were marked by a lack of autonomy, being mostly beautiful, servile, and neither outspoken nor independent.

I have made the hat more monumental, masculine, and insect-like, with stags and a hard, shiny insect shell made of ground black glass shards. The base is handmade from fine merino felt. My hat pays homage to the original design but also serves as a reminder of the enduring struggle for autonomy and representation.

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Sally Caswell
Top Ten Finalist

Design Statement: My hat is inspired by Dolores del Rio in Journey Into Fear (1943). Making a helmet style hat with ears seemed too much like recreating her hat rather than being inspired by it, so I went in a completely different direction.

As this is a film to fashion competition, I used a currently fashionable saucer shape. Unable to find leopard patterned sinamay in the color and pattern I wanted, I hand stenciled spots onto taupe sinamay, then laid it over gold lurex and natural sinamay.

The bow is designed to evoke cat ears. The inner ears are brushed with pink behind the pink ostrich puffs. The “whiskers” are made from stripped coque feathers, painted, curled, wired, and wrapped with a leopard rhinestone cord.

The base is lined in silk dupioni, and the leopard rhinestone cord is hand sewn around the underside for a bit of flash from

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Sarah Fedaie

Design Statement: This fashion cocktail hat was inspired by the musical number "Take Back Your Mink" from Guys and Dolls (1955) starring Vivian Blaine, Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Frank Sinatra.

In this fun and sassy musical number, Adelaide and her chorus sing "Take Back Your Mink" costumed in beautiful gowns, pillbox hats, gloves and pearls in varying shades of pink. Taking inspiration from the look, this vibrant pink silk cocktail band tapers on the right to focus the eye on a single handmade silk flower with a strand of broken pearls hidden in the back.

Just like Adelaide ripping off her pearls and dress to reveal her daring lacy undergarments, the underside of this cocktail hat shockingly reveals a lace interior. An exciting secret that would be known to the wearer and no one else...well, unless they give back the hat.

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Vanessa J Lopez
Third Place

Design Statement: My grandmother used to leave the Turner Classic Movie channel on as background noise in the house while she went about her chores. I didn’t care much for classic films, but I remember one time forcing myself to sit and watch whatever happened to be showing at that moment. ‘The Million Dollar Mermaid’ is now one of my favorite films of all time. I remember being entranced by the glamour and the spectacle surrounding the lead actress, Esther Williams, who was portraying the real story of synchronized swimming superstar Annette Kellerman, and finding myself wishing I could wear all the things this glittering woman was wearing. It’s probably where my love of all things showgirl related began and why I love making hats for them today. This hat is an homage to one of her main swimming costumes in the film.

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