Marie Galvin Millinery
Confident Couture
M
arie Galvin is a millinery designer who aims to create something new and refreshing that can empower those who wear her headpieces. Galvin believes that creating your identity as a designer is what sets you apart in the industry, and doing something similar to what other designers create makes you disappear into the background. This year marks 20 years of Marie Galvin Millinery being Boston’s Premier Milliner; her years of doing what she does best have simply not gone unnoticed. Her first big break as a designer was back in 2001 at the annual Fresh Faces in Fashion show, where she was selected as one of eight designers to compete. Everyone in the industry was there that night, fashion designers, merchandisers, and more. She even got the chance to work alongside famous fashion designer, Zac Posen in the competition. Additionally, this competition happened only weeks after the tragedy of September 11th, and even though there was still an imposing fear and shock from the attack, people showed up to pull the competition together. That same year, British Hat Magazine had been accepting applications for their annual Hat Designer of the Year, and Galvin was chosen to be a finalist. This was a watershed moment for Galvin’s career. Despite being the only one who had not gone to a top fashion design school to learn her craft, she received first runner up. Galvin was ecstatic. As a
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self-taught Irish milliner, the win was a huge acknowledgment of everything she had worked for. Galvin loves the confidence that she can give to those who walk into her store to buy one of her headpieces. Some of her customers may never have thought that this would be a fashion piece in their closet. With her creations, Galvin believes that the beautiful designs on each hat can transform any outfit. These couture pieces are gently priced items, meaning that her headpieces can provide that feeling of empowerment and confidence on a budget. “A good headpiece commands the room. That’s what I love about my brand.” said Galvin. Though Ms.Galvin likes to create larger scaled headwear for events like the Kentucky Derby, she also believes that a smaller piece can convey that same amount of drama that many look for when in the market for headwear. Galvin tends to lean more toward crafting delicate floral designs in unusual positions to create a surreal effect for clients who are going to wear the piece.
