2015 Heaven Has Heels November Issue

HAT
ATTACK
WE CATCH UP WITH BUNDLE MACLAREN,
LONDON’S HOTTEST YOUNG MILLINER.
How did you get involved in millinery? I’ve always
loved hats but I felt that there was a real gap in the
market for an interesting, contemporary and bold
designer who could make hats for more affordable
prices, so I did a year’s apprenticeship with Gina Foster
and then completed the BTEC in traditional millinery
at the Kensington & Chelsea College. The mixture
of the two was great as got to see how a millinery
business runs, as well as being able to learn traditional
millinery techniques on the side.
What do you love about designing headwear
compared to other areas of design? Hats are great
fun. They don’t take themselves too seriously and
it’s always for a special and exciting occasion when
someone comes to you to have a hat made, so you get
to build up amazing and very personal relationships
with your clients.
What three elements do you feel are needed to
create an amazing headpiece? Colour, confidence
and wit.
How do you think your culture heritage
contributes to your design aesthetic? Hats are
such a huge part of our British heritage. No one does
pomp and circumstance like the Brits and we love
any opportunity to bring out our finery and play at
dressing up! I love the traditions and etiquette that sit
alongside wearing hats ie. what type of hat to wear to
what occasion. What’s appropriate if you’re mother
of the bride or what’s expected if you’re attending the
Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
What materials do you most like to work with? I
love working with felt. It’s wonderfully versatile and
durable so you can be really experimental with it. We
also use a lot of feathers in our designs which are such
a clever and natural material with timeless elegance,
colour and beauty. There are no ends to what you can
do with the humble feather!
What has been your crowning achievement thus
far? I’m just thrilled to have started a millinery
design business from scratch in my Battersea kitchen
which has flourished five years later into a successful,
busy and booming
business. It’s a
wonderful way to
spend your day and
earn a living and I
feel very lucky.
“NO ONE DOES
POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE
LIKE THE BRITS”
What does the
future hold for
the brand? We
produced our first
trilby collection this
year along with a
bridal collection and both have been a huge success so
we will continue to grow those. Our trilbies are going
to be stocked in Anthropologie this autumn/winter
which is very exciting. And we’re also in the creative
phase of a very exciting new collection called Dare to
Dream which is going to showcase some really special
designs. So watch this space! BundleMaclaren.co.uk
HEAVEN HAS HEELS november 2015 | @HHHEELS