REPORT
Papier-mâché Irene van Vugt
Dutch hat designer Irene van Vugt is renowned for her ability to turn the
seemingly impossible into reality. When the
prestigious Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam approached her with
a design brief, she recalls: “I just had no idea how to execute it, because none of the hat blocks I had came even close.” Rather than compromise or be limited by existing forms, Irene created her own blocks and adapted shapes to achieve exactly what she needed – a practice that has characterised much of her work. Papier-mâché provides an accessible
material for building unique forms. Irene begins the process with a mannequin head, marking out the areas she wants to develop and build up. Mixing
papier-mâché powder with water, she gradually layers the material until the desired shape emerges. The challenge often lies in removing the hardened form if it has been moulded tightly around the head. Irene’s solution is to carefully saw the form into sections with a small blade, then reassemble it with glue. For more complex shapes, such as a rounded sphere, she works the papier-mâché over a balloon, which gives a smooth curve and allows her to control the size. Once dry, the surface can be
sanded to refine the contours and eliminate any indentations that might mark the material during the next stage of blocking. This approach is both effective and versatile: as well as creating independent forms,
Styrofoam (EPS) Chris Mullane
Chris Mullane is a milliner based near Melbourne who has embraced expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam as a practical material for creating custom hat blocks. Introduced to the technique through Ian Bennett’s Foam Hat Blocks course on Hat Academy, Chris has since developed a distinctive approach to shaping crowns, brims and sculptural forms. The process begins with cutting and
sanding EPS foam into the desired shape. Using a flexible knife, Chris outlines the basic form, then refines it with rasps, files and sandpaper of various grades. “I love the process and find I get into the flow sanding and
shaping,” Chris says. “So much so, that I need to watch the time or I overwork my back muscles.” While EPS foam offers flexibility and ease of shaping, it comes with challenges – not least the considerable mess it creates. The material dents easily, and narrow or thin shapes are prone to snapping. Chemical stiffeners cannot be used, as they degrade the foam. “You really can’t do this in your studio,” Chris notes. “I’m fortunate to have an old worksite caravan on our property where I can create a mess in a confined space and then just shut the door.”
Despite its limitations, foam has enabled Chris to explore bold, unconventional designs. Starting with a simple dome and cartwheel block, she progressed to an asymmetrical cone brim paired with a torque-shaped crown for the ‘Very Convexing’ design, which was
52 | the hat magazine #107
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