REPORT
This is still a work in progress and as the world looks to become more sustainable, we hope that the right materials will become more accessible.” Bee has noticed that the appreciation and demand for upcycled/vintage items has markedly increased. She can now create a headpiece using solely upcycled or vintage fabrics, and as the design cannot be repeated, rather than being perceived as a disadvantage it is instead admired for its exclusivity. As part of
her upcycling approach, Bee offers a repair and refresh service for all hats, not just her own. “I think it’s important to be able to breathe new life into loved hats. Mostly it’s retrimming hats to match outfits, adding key colours or feathers. I also do simple repairs, like edging, reshaping and lining. I fix men’s hats where possible as well. I recently repaired an RAF sergeant’s hat after his dog stole it – not sure what it is about animal attacks!”
The Tootsie Rollers at Royal Ascot – the hats were made with vintage paper straw and hand-dyed petals
The 'Carmen' headpiece is made from vintage parachute silk
customers who will have their hats retrimmed for the Cheltenham races each year, and others who may have two or three weddings coming up and want to wear the same hat but with a slightly different look for each one.” Sally-Ann has a fabulous
collection of hat blocks dating from the 1950s and ’60s which she uses frequently for the creation of her designs. Her vintage materials are used for one-off headpieces mostly as it is more difficult to use them for pieces she intends to repeat, because she would then need to stock up on those materials. “A hat will normally be made from a combination of new and vintage materials. Vintage straws and feathers can be challenging to work with, because they can be fragile and have to be handled with care. Support materials are regularly needed.” At the moment, most of the
materials Sally-Ann uses for her designs are new, although the balance is shifting. “I’m working on a zero-waste collection – which is challenging, but I’m determined
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to make it work. As a small business, I control how much volume of materials I buy. By buying only what I need and being conscious about how many samples I make and when I make these, I can minimise waste. Being a sustainable business isn’t just about using vintage or second-hand materials: it is a whole ethos that’s ingrained in the business. My future plans are to keep the business moving forwards in a
sustainable way, continuing to try to buy only what I need and to use up my stash of vintage materials so that people can enjoy wearing them.”
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