REPORT
Caroline Morris “I took the plunge and
set up a hat shop on the coast” Nursehound tanning
“I love meeting other milliners and am always happy when I hear of another artist heading seawards. I’m a Skills Assessor for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and it’s been a joy to get to know some of the other local hat makers who have become, or aspire to become, QEST Scholars. In Hastings, there’s Ellie Vallerini who makes exquisite hats, while further down the coast in Brighton there’s the fabulous and vibrant Pea Cooper and Rachel Clunie, who is relatively new to millinery but learning and creating all the time.
Just a short hop
away in Eastbourne you can order a couture hat from Lai Symes.” Jane says: “I wish I could say I wasn’t distracted by the
sun coming out! Luckily though, I’ve always liked to sew by electric light rather than daylight, so I can watch the sunset then run home to finish what I’m supposed to be doing. Being an artist and working on your own can sometimes be a lonely or frustrating process, but I find I always return to my studio inspired after a walk by (or a swim in) the sea with a fellow creative.”
More information
www.janefryers.co.uk
Tilapia beret
Following a successful career in fashion, Caroline Morris taught several popular millinery courses at the highly regarded Kensington and Chelsea College in London. She also set up her own business working directly with couturiers and exporting to America and Japan. In 2012, Caroline left London and moved to the town of St Leonards-on-Sea (just along the coast from Hastings). She has recently opened a hat shop there selling her own bespoke creations and a small range of ready-to-wear hats whilst also showcasing the work of other local artists and makers. “I’m not sure if St Leonards
was quite ready for me when I first arrived,” muses Caroline. “Like many seaside towns, it’s changing very rapidly. It’s now very vibrant and bursting with lots of creative people but it wasn’t always like that.” Caroline took the brave decision to open her own shop a couple of years ago after buying a new build in an up- and-coming part of town, right next to the railway station. She has wise words for anyone considering a similar move. “If someone out there wants to open a hat shop by the sea, it’s worth remembering that couture is a very niche market, so you need to consider a complementary collection
may 2022 | 51
Photo: Katya de Grunwald
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
