EDUCATION Amirhossein
Samadani Born and raised in Tehran, Amirhossein later moved to Austria, an experience that has shaped his creative practice through themes of migration, cultural memory and the relationship between identity and visibility. Drawn to millinery for its intersection of craftsmanship and conceptual expression, his graduate collection, With Love, Tehran, explored contemporary Iranian identity through the language of Persian calligraphy. Applied across surfaces including cotton and leather, the calligraphy became both an ornament and a political gesture. "My ambition is to create work that combines traditional craftsmanship with critical storytelling, using fashion objects as a medium to explore questions of culture, memory and social change."
King's Foundation
www.kings-foundation.org The King's Foundation delivers the CHANEL & The King's Foundation Métiers d'Art Millinery Fellowship in partnership with le19M and Maison Michel Paris. Design mentoring is provided by Priscilla Royer, with teaching by Shariff Hisaund, Sarah Cant, Lucy Barlow, Virna Pasquinelli, Mich Dulce, Giulia Mio and Justine Bradley- Hill. Skills include strip-straw work on 17-guinea machines, cut-and-sew techniques, fabric covering, card-block making, an introduction to hat-block carving, and straw plaiting.
Amelia Down
www.instagram.com/amelia_ makes_hats Amelia became interested in millinery when a tutor at Duperré in Paris gave a lesson on Maison Michel. She later undertook training at the Lycée Octave Feuillet before joining the CHANEL & The King's Foundation Métiers d'Art Millinery Fellowship. Her
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and British heritage in an imaginative and playful aesthetic.
practice is rooted in storytelling, creating hats that function as narrative objects and inviting the wearer to step into a character or alter ego. "I love the idea that anything can be worn on someone's head." Her collection, Come Rain or Shine, was inspired by Queen Elizabeth II's connection to rural Britain and the communities that shaped it. It was influenced by a visit to the late Queen's archive of hats, which revealed how bold headwear served not only as a fashion statement but also as a practical way to remain visible to the crowds. Amelia's work brings together humour, craftsmanship
Finley Howie
www.instagram.com/howie_hatter Finley's journey into millinery began with a passion for graphic design, music, and streetwear. After studying Sustainable Business, he became fascinated by how fashion accessories could be created more responsibly through recycled materials and upcycled fabrics. He gained experience with Lucy Barlow and a bespoke lampshade maker, developing technical and production skills. His graduate collection, Through Her Eyes: The Royal Tour of India, 1961, reinterpreted Queen Elizabeth II's historic tour through contemporary millinery, including a patchwork ready-to-wear hat made from straw offcuts, a hand-cut and sewn rabbit-fur felt piece, a cut-and- sew patchwork flat cap, and a sinamay headpiece finished with hand-applied beads. Looking ahead, he plans to build his business, HOWIE HATTER, supported by Royal Ascot's £10,000 millinery bursary, as he expands both his occasion-wear and ready-to-wear collections. "It has been an unforgettable journey, and I can't wait to see where millinery takes me next."
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