What do you love most about Millinery?
I love the freedom to create when making hats and headpieces. Because hats don't have to be practical, you don't have quite as many constraints as other accessory designers.

How did you get into Millinery?
I started by sewing a sunhat for my daughter. I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the result, and I wondered how hard it would be to block a hat. I bought a hat block and hat making book. I produced some truly appalling hats, but I was hooked.

In a sentence tell us how you would describe your designs.
Elegant, quirky.

What is your ideal customer?
Confident, stylish, whimsical, intelligent.

What inspires you?
Ha! What doesn't? Jewellery, plants, insects, textiles, fruit, furniture, anything with clean interesting lines.

If you could invite any milliner to tea who would it be?
Elsa Schiaparelli. I can't picture her drinking tea. We'd have gin.

What is your favourite material to work with?
Felt, definitely. I also like buckram.

What's your best millinery tip?
Get a proper steamer!

If you had to make your last hat what would it be?
Hmm, that's a tough question. I'd like to make my granddaughter a hat for Royal Ascot. As my children are 6 and 8, that should give me some time to plan :)

Famous words to live by.
"Blessed are the cheesemakers" Monty Python. Just kidding. "Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it" Alan Perlis. I'm still working on paring back my style.

» Discover more about Karen in her profile.