Contract millinery for Philadelphia Theatre Company's "Light in the Piazza"

[labricoleuse]

After four nights of previews, the Philadelphia Theatre Company's production of The Light in the Piazza opens tonight, with costumes by Anne Kennedy. (Note: a video with sound automatically starts when you visit the show page.)

I had worked on two prior productions with Ms. Kennedy--God's Man in Texas and Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, both at PlayMakers--and we get along wonderfully as creative collaborators; when she inquired whether i'd like to do contract millinery for the Philadelphia production, i readily agreed. I had just finished setting up my private millinery studio space in Durham and was excited to work on some 1950s period hats!

Then i discovered that it was going to be directly in conflict with the development of Nicholas Nickleby...but luckily, two of my former students, Randy Handley (handyhatter) and Candy McClernan, were interested in helping out! Between the three of us, we managed to coordinate the labor such that Piazza got their hats, and none of us got behind on Nickleby.


Ms. Kennedy sent us this period reference image for one of the hats...


...and the hat on the left, which is a period hat we were instructed to copy.
Randy Handley blocked the hat on the right for the production.


Here's a close-up of the back,
showing the felt leaf garniture and custom ombre-dyed feather.


This is a vintage hat we were asked to restore.


Here it is after Candy McClernan refurbished it.


Back detail with new trimmings and two-tone veiling.


This wedding veil is a copy of a damaged period veil, sewn by Candy McClernan.
Ms. Kennedy sent us the original to reproduce.
(You can see the "blonde"-colored horsehair in the front to anchor the veil.)


The back view shows the wire frame the veil is built on,
to sit up over a "Mad Men-style" bouffant or twist.

And sometimes, you have to be really adaptable in theatre, particularly with distance jobs. This hat was added at the very last minute, and what we received was a FedEx packet containing millinery felt leaves, some satin fabric, several stripped coque feathers, and this hastily-drawn Paint diagram done on the fly by Anne's assistant:


I love the model's facial expression here.


And here's the finished hat! I want one of these for myself, bad.


Close-up view of the top of the hat.

Randy, Candy, and i loved working on these hats--such a sweet period for millinery--and we look forward, too, to working with Annie again soon, on PlayMakers' upcoming production of The Importance of Being Earnest!



So, consider this a formal notice: my students and i are prepared to accept select millinery contracts for blocked or patterned hats in buckram, felt, and straw, and millinery refurbishment of damaged vintage and antique headwear. We need either renderings, research, or an extant hat to copy or restore. Costs are contingent upon the complexity of the designs, and do not include materials/trims/feathers or shipping and handling. We can provide mockups for initial fittings for an additional fee, and also can custom dye trims/linings/feathers.

Drop a comment, a PM, or an email to inquire or to solicit a millinery bid from us for your show or event!




Speaking of hats, if you are in New York City, you have the opportunity to attend the second annual Saint Catherine's Day Fete tonight! Some photos from last year are here in a slide show. Who doesn't love a good excuse to wear a fabulous hat? There will be a hat parade, cocktails and hors d'oeurvres, and a millinery contest for best hat!

The Milliners Guild Presents:
St. Catherine's Day

New York, NY - November 18th, 2009 -

The Milliners Guild Welcomes You to Put On Your Most Spectacular Hat
And Join Our Annual St. Catherine's Day Celebration!

Meet us at the Millinery Center Synagogue
1025 Avenue of the Americas - between 38 & 39 Streets at 5:00pm

Walk with us through Bryant Park to 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue
Up Fifth Avenue - Right on 51st Street to our Fabulous Party at
Haven : 244 E 51st Street near Second Avenue

Special thanks to Moet Hennessy USA for providing the Veuve Clicquot for our champagne hour (6-7pm)
New this year: BEST HAT CONTEST, for non-members only
Winner will be determined by guild members.

Comments

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

Beautiful work! I love the before and after pics. Reminds me that hats can be saved, and should be :)

We've been watching the post-WWII movie "The Best Years of Our Lives", and wow does it have some fantastic millinery! Especially the blonde siren Marie Derry...she wears this one feathered evening hat that made me want to leap into the screen and get it.

[curiouschilde.livejournal.com]

Congrats on such beautiful hats! A Light in the Piazza is such a wonderful show. I did it a year and a half ago up in Vermont. We were lucky enough to have some super pristine vintage hats to use. Beautiful!!