With a love of vintage materials and a milliner as a mother, it appears that Milliner Cessiah Alice was born to make hats! It was not quite "love at first sight" with hats however, it appears that this labour of love has turned into a truly gratifying passion. Read on to find out a little more about what millinery means to Cessiah.
1. What do you love most about Millinery?
I love that it's a form of wearable art... And I love creating that art! I love taking a few materials and turning them into a headpiece. And of course the gratification of seeing my work being worn - knowing that people love my designs enough to wear them is such a compliment... It makes all the hours that I put into each piece completely worth it!
2. How did you get into Millinery?
My Mum, Victoria Henderson, has been making hats and headpieces for many years. She heard about a TAFE course being run in 2012 and asked if I would like to do the course with her. I thought "Why not!" even though I had hardly ever even used a needle and thread! When I first started the course I wasn't sure that I even liked it - it was so fiddly and time consuming! But in time, I started to love it and saw how rewarding it was. Since the TAFE course I have done two Hat's Off to Brisbane Conventions and also an International Millinery Forum and am very much looking forward to the next one!
3. Tell us how you would describe your designs.
My designs are influenced by my materials - I love to rework vintage materials into different shapes. So I would say my designs are "Vintage style with a modern twist."
4. What is your ideal customer?
I guess someone who is adventurous and willing to wear something a bit different.
5. What inspires you?
A number of things inspire me. I am constantly looking at images of millinery, so I am without a doubt influenced by other milliners. But I am also inspired by my materials. I will often find a vintage straw, a beautiful feather or a lovely piece of leather and think 'What could I turn this into?'.
6. We heard you were married recently! Did you design and make your own headwear? How did it tie in with your Bridal dress styling and theme of the wedding party?
My stunning headpiece was made by my very talented Mother, Victoria Henderson of Ruby & Leo. I told her the style I wanted and the rest I left up to her! It went perfectly with my wedding dress and the bridesmaids headpieces, which she also made. It all went so beautifully together and was exactly what I had hoped for! I have not yet made a bridal piece, but I hope to soon.
7. What is your favourite material to work with?
This season I would have to say leather! I have been loving blocking it and also creating trims from it. It's so lovely to work with and easy to manipulate.
8. Whats your best millinery tip?
Probably to stay true to yourself and your millinery style. The trends change so often and so sometimes you can get so caught up in whats "in" that you forget what you like creating. Just do what you love and it will be evident in your work that you loved creating it!
9. Tell us about the photo-shoot for your SS15 collection?
After I got married I moved to Tasmania (I'm previously from Victoria). I met a girl at my new work and she loved my hats and she is just beautiful so I asked if she would like to model for me! She had never modelled before, but she did such an amazing job! We did the photoshoot in Salamanca against some lovely sandstone walls. I took the photos and we had so much fun putting together all the outfits. Every piece looked so stunning on her and I loved how the photos turned out!
10. Famous words to live by.
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