Thoroughly modern millinery (From Living Northeast)

Thoroughly modern millinery

1:04pm Monday 16th August 2010 in

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Joel Wilks is a rising star in the millinery world. Lottie Kay visits his idyllic rural studio and finds it full to the brim with stunning styles.

GOT a smart daytime do to go to? Then you’ll probably need a hat. Trouble is, they’re one of the most difficult things to buy. Different styles suit different face shapes and while a full-brimmed titfer with outrageous feathers may suit a woman of Amazonian proportions, if you’re on the short side, it might make you look as if you’ve lost a fight with an ostrich.

So what you need when you’re buying a hat is time, a good selection of different styles to try on, and, perhaps most importantly, some good advice from an expert. And that’s exactly what you get at Quills Millinery.

The owner of this fantastic hat studio in the County Durham countryside is Joel Wilks, whose first steps into the world of millinery came about literally by accident.

“My mum had chosen a hat for my brother’s wedding. At the last minute it broke but with some fast and creative thinking, I managed to fix it,” he says.

After studying Fashion Buying at Manchester Metropolitan University, where he gained a first class honours degree, he completed a millinery course and set up his website and studio. Within a couple of months, he was contacted by the Vogue magazine researchers who were impressed with his business. “Vogue contacted me on April Fool’s Day so I thought it was one of my friends playing a joke,” he laughs. “It was a dream come true.”

Joel’s trained eye secures the best headwear from respected labels such as Vivien Sheriff, Nigel Rayment, Richard Designs, Victoria Ann, ID-Hats, Fischers, Whiteley, Niche Collection and Polly Edwards. He also designs and creates hats himself, drawing on influences from his travels around Asia and Europe, as well as his current idyllic location. He is hoping to find more time for his own creations in the future.

Typically, a client emails or phones for an appointment and spends time with Joel in the studio creating the perfect hat. For custom-made creations, Joel takes a head fitting and presents samples and a range of styles. After the consultation, the client is sent a number of sketches and colour swatches to make a final choice.

The designer hats Joel hand-picks to sell in his studio range from easy-to-wear fascinators to bright and colourful show-stopping hats. There are age-appropriate varieties, quirky choices and elegant, classic pieces – “something for everyone”, says Joel. “I always tell my customers to bring along the outfit they are planning to wear to a fitting. The most important thing is to find something they feel comfortable in.”

It is clear Joel has put a lot of thought into what women want and his familiarity and passion for every single creation in his studio is also evident. “I always stress that these hats are either available to buy or to hire so there is an opportunity for everyone to be able to wear bespoke creations,” he says.

There are exquisite bridal bonnets, funky fascinators for a prom, classic hats and plenty of styles guaranteed to turn some heads.

“The key is to try on as many different styles, sizes and colours as possible to find your ideal hat,” says Joel.

“Most importantly, hat-buying should be a pleasure, so take your time.”

■ Quills Millinery, Quarriston, Houghton-le-side, near Darlington, County Durham DL22UF. Tel: 01388-779299, email: quillsmillinery@hotmail.com.

Open: Mon to Thurs, 10am to 5.30pm; Sat, 10am to 3pm. Closed Tuesday.

HAT TIPS FROM JOEL

★ Never wear a hat on the back of your head; tilt it, pull it low over the brow or wear it straight.

★ Make sure the brim is not wider than your shoulders, and never wear a hat narrower than your hairstyle.

★ The label, or seam, always sits at the back of the head in line with your spine.

★ To add height go for a high crown and/or an upturned brim.

Model: BRIDGET PICKERILL

Bridget studied psychology at university and is now seeking work as a model. bridgetpickerill@yahoo.com

Make-up: ROWENA FINN

Rowena works as freelance make-up artist around the North-East. She recently returned home from Spain where she lived for a year.