Latest news with #hatmakers
Reuters
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Hats on! A milliner talks Ascot's most important accessory
LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - At her London studio, Merve Bayindir carefully glues on dried flowers onto a pale pink saucer hat. Nearby, an array of other colourful headpieces are on display. The Turkish-born milliner has been busy making hats for guests attending the annual Royal Ascot racing event, where hoheadwear is a must. "It is the biggest runway. It's the Oscars. It's the Golden is what it is for because you can't see that many amazing hats in one spot at the same time for a week," she told Reuters. The horse-racing event, held in Ascot just outside London, kicks off on June 17 for five days. It has become as much known for the colourful fashion as for the sport. Its various enclosures have different dress codes - the strictest is for the royal enclosure. 'You have to have minimum ten centimetres of diameter on a hat," Bayindir said. "So (for) the ladies in royal enclosure, we always say make sure that your hat is not a fascinator," she added, referring to elaborate, decorative headpieces, often fixed on a band or clip. For the Queen Anne and village enclosures, hats, headpieces or fascinators are allowed. In terms of colours, Bayindir said designs in pale pink and blue were annual staples, with fuchsia, sage green and lilac also proving popular lately. As for size, the bigger the better. 'It doesn't matter who you are, you can be the star and take that chance and be outrageous," she said. "Royal Ascot itself has a very big personality. So you need to sort of support that big personality and be part of it if you want to be really enjoying the environment."
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Royal Ascot supports next generation of hat-makers
The King's charity has announced a millinery partnership with Royal Ascot to nurture the next generation of Ascot in Berkshire has introduced a £10,000 annual bursary to support a King's Foundation and Chanel graduating millinery Foundation's students will also be showcasing their hats at this year's Royal Ascot, which runs from 17-21 McAuliffe, education director at The King's Foundation said: "We are proud to be supporting the future of this skill at the most iconic hat-wearing event of the year." The Chanel and The King's Foundation Metiers d'Art Millinery Fellowship in Partnership with le19M, Chanel's creative hub for artisans in Paris, was launched in intensive programme aims to develop a network of young specialist milliners in the UK, with the support of Parisian hat-maker Maison Michel at King's Foundation's work is inspired by King Charles's passion for protecting traditional heritage skills at risk of being lost. The Royal Ascot Millinery Collective 2026 is celebrating its 10th anniversary with 10 bespoke designs created under the creative direction of British fashion designer Daniel students joining the millinery course will be tasked with designing a Royal Ascot inspired hat which will be featured in the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective 2026 as its 11th Racecourses' chief executive, Felicity Barnard said: "Exquisite hats and millinery masterpieces are woven into the very fabric of Royal Ascot's heritage."We are committed to preserving and celebrating this tradition for generations to come." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Royal Ascot backs next generation of hat-makers from King's charity
The King's charity has announced a millinery partnership with Royal Ascot to nurture the next generation of hat-makers. Ahead of this month's world-famous meet, known as much for its colourful and creative displays of headwear as the horseracing, Ascot has introduced a £10,000 annual bursary to support a King's Foundation and Chanel graduating millinery student. Daniel McAuliffe, education director at The King's Foundation said: 'The royal family are incredible ambassadors for the craft of millinery and as the King's charity we are proud to be supporting the future of this skill at the most iconic hat-wearing event of the year.' The Foundation's students will also be showcasing their hats at this year's Royal Ascot, which runs from June 17-21, with a special display for racegoers in the Queen Anne Enclosure on the Berkshire course. The Chanel and The King's Foundation Metiers d'Art Millinery Fellowship in Partnership with le19M, Chanel's creative hub for artisans in Paris, was launched in 2024 with a cohort of six students. The intensive programme aims to develop a network of young specialist milliners in the UK, with the support of Parisian hat-maker Maison Michel at le19M. It forms part of The King's Foundation's wider work, inspired by Charles's passion for protecting traditional heritage skills at risk of being lost. Future students joining the millinery course will also be tasked with designing a Royal Ascot-inspired hat, with one selected to feature in the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective from 2026 onwards as its 11th design. The collective, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, is an annual presentation of 10 bespoke designs created exclusively for Royal Ascot under the creative direction of British fashion designer Daniel Fletcher. Mr McAuliffe added: 'This is such a fantastic opportunity for our talented millinery students as they begin to build their businesses. 'We are delighted to be working with Ascot and our long-term partners Chanel and le19M to recognise the importance of the British tradition of millinery.' Felicity Barnard, Ascot Racecourse's chief executive, said: 'Exquisite hats and millinery masterpieces are woven into the very fabric of Royal Ascot's heritage and we are committed to preserving and celebrating this tradition for generations to come.'
