INTERVIEW
Louise by Mary Jane Baxter
Louise Macdonald is one of Australia’s best-known milliners. Her elegant hats epitomise quality and sophistication and are sought-after accessories by women in the know. Showcasing innovative techniques and traditional skills honed over a career spanning more than three decades, a Louise Macdonald hat is a treasured heirloom.
In this exclusive interview, Louise speaks to The Hat Magazine’s Mary Jane Baxter about her passion for her craft, her love of teaching and how she nearly became a local government clerk!
The early years It might surprise readers to hear that I was never meant to be a milliner. At school I’d always loved creative subjects like painting, weaving and dressmaking, but when I had to make a choice about my tertiary education there was really nothing that excited me. I didn’t want to become an arts and crafts teacher and, at the time, that seemed to be the only option available. So I went to university to study behavioural science, something that could lead to a ‘proper job’. I then went on to work in local government. I wanted to travel, however, and so
after four or five years in Melbourne, I set off for London in the late 1980s and soon found myself working for the City
of Westminster. One day I came across a copy of Floodlight magazine, which was full of information on evening classes. I spotted an advert for a millinery course with Rose Cory and enrolled. One night a week I’d go off and learn how to make hats and I loved it. That was the turning point – I began to think about changing careers. By that stage, I’d met a couple
of costume makers, and through them I got to know about a costume interpretation course at Wimbledon School of Art. I went along with some of the hats I’d made, and to my surprise the college took me on! It meant I had to rearrange my life so that I could stay in the UK, but the challenges were worth it. We studied everything, from pattern-drafting to tailoring and working with different dyes. The tutors were great, as they allowed me to focus on headwear, so by the time I finished I had lots of hats in the final show.
november 2022 | 21
Macdonald
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