MAD HATTERS: NEW YORK HATS & HATMAKERS

Entryway to Mad Hatters: New York Hats & Hatmakers at City Lore Gallery in the East Village

Fans brandishing ball caps, the religious donning yarmulkes and the fashionably elite flashing handmade headgear share a statement piece across cultures, causes and contexts. Headgear--as a tangible means of illustrating identity and expressing individuality--is the focus of City Lore's Spring presentation Mad Hatters: New York Hats & Hatmakers. Curated by Abby Ronner and Tom Van Buren, the history of New York City is quantified through the history of the hats on display. Keep reading to have a look...

MEET THE MILLINER : JESS COLLETT

Jess Collett Milliner in her atelier, photos provided by Jess Collett

Handmade hats, haute hairpieces and high-performance horses become functional--not to mention fashionable--highlights of the derby/summer sporting season both domestically and abroad. With the Epsom Races passed and the Ascot Races upcoming, Jess Collett, a familiar favorite in the world of high-profile headgear, staves off the sun with a range of subtle to show-stopping styles. A graduate of Kensington and Chelsea College, Collett's couture creations are wielded by British royalty, actors and actresses and the general public. Established in 1999, Collett's atelier in Notting Hill continues to be the birthplace of all her handmade floral, felted and feverishly fantastic hats. Keep reading for a sincere and insightful Q&A with the designer...

ALBERTUS SWANEPOEL + ODIN : A MILLINER'S STORY

Hat by Albertus Swanepoel at Odin, NY

As summer sales wane, fashion falls forward with the introduction of new collections in darkening hues. To ease the transition, NY-based milliner Albertus Swanepoel collaborates with ODIN New York on an end of summer exhibit. Swanepoel's limited edition top hats, fedoras, fur and bowler hats are scattered throughout the store and rest on mannequin heads customized by designers Suno, Duckie Brown, Richard Chai, Band of Outsiders, Irene Neuwirth, Gregory Parkinson, George Esquivel and Cushnie & Ochs. Keep reading for a sneak peek...