1. Was your headpiece crafted for a special event?
My headpiece was crafted to match an outfit I wished to wear for the wedding of my friend's daughter. The wedding was being held in a hotel and the bride's mum was going to be wearing a fascinator. Therefore, most guests were opting for fascinators rather than large hats.
I wanted something in between and at our first meeting, Sue Wood and I considered all of our options. I was drawn to a most beautiful creation of Sue's in her studio; a large hat which I would have chosen had the occasion allowed.
Undeterred, Sue suggested that we opt for this design but scale it down. This is what she did and it worked perfectly. It keeps the shape of the hat I loved but it was not too overstated for the particular occasion.
2. Did you have any specific requirements?
I wanted my hat to match the outfit but my outfit for the wedding was quite an unusual shade of blue - in between royal blue and navy. It is called French Navy.
It was difficult to find the specific colour so Sue fused two materials together to create the perfect match. I chose nude accessories and Sue also incorporated these colours into the hat decoration.
3. What was your involvement in the hat-making process?
On my first meeting with Sue, I was shown into her wonderful millinery workshop. Seeing all of her beautiful creations just blew me away.
Sue kindly told me the history behind some of the pieces which were made for specific exhibitions. It was wonderful. I then spotted the beautiful hat I referred to in question one and we took it from there.
4. How did you feel wearing your headpiece?
I felt that my outfit worked perfectly for the occasion. The hat was just right and complimented my outfit just as I had hoped.
5. What have other people said about your headpiece?
The bride's mum loved my outfit and particularly my hat. A good friend of mine couldn't resist trying it on! A number of people commented on the colour of my outfit, which of course did include the perfectly matching hat. My daughter also loves the hat and is looking forward to borrowing it.
6. How did you find Sue Wood Millinery?
I absolutely loved the whole experience of working with Sue. I could have spent hours more with her as she is so interesting and passionate about hats (as am I). Her creations are wonderful and she is extremely patient when working with you to ensure that she achieves exactly what you are hoping for. She did exactly that for me, giving me a beautiful, elegant creation.
7. Will you use Sue Wood Millinery again?
I definitely will work with Sue again when I have an excuse to purchase another one of her creations. I am extremely proud to own one already.
