Millinery.qxp_Layout 2 26/03/2021 17:06 Page 1
Jessica hat, £325
Talk hat talk
Photograph by Steve Lee Photoworks
We’ve been short of major events recently, but as opportunities open up and we are able to gather once again to celebrate life’s special occasions, it’s time to find the hat that will give you an uber-stylish factor – let us introduce milliner Annabel Allen
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ertain hats keep your ears warm; others are designed to raise you up to another level. The hats of Annabel Allen Millinery offer the latter. She uses traditional millinery techniques to transform the finest quality materials in her Bristol studio into highly elegant, original and easy-to-wear statement hats and headpieces. After training as a pattern cutter under the Saville Row Apprenticeship Scheme in London in 2007, Annabel embarked upon an early career in the fashion industry, working for brands such as Pringle of Scotland, Temperley London and The Gucci Group. It was not until moving to Sydney in 2010 that Annabel was introduced to millinery, a discipline that allowed her to combine traditional tailoring skills with highly intricate and imaginative design concepts. Upon returning to the UK and moving to Bristol in 2013, Annabel continued her millinery training, subsequently setting up Annabel Allen Millinery. Here she tells us more. 20 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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APRIL 2021
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NO¯ 197
TBM: Do you have a physical shop or do people come to you for private consultations? Annabel: I don't have a physical shop, so I operate by appointment only from my studio, online or over the phone. For people who would rather not come to the studio in person but would like a face-to-face consultation the online appointments work really well – I am in my studio and can pull out all the different hats and communicate design ideas visually with the materials to hand. For those who would rather visit, there is plenty of space to maintain Covid-safe guidelines and clients are welcome to try on a variety of pieces from my collection so that we can work out which styles they feel most comfortable in and which best complements their outfit, if they have one. I can create most pieces in any colour, whether it is bespoke or a design from my existing collection.
