Artist of the Week: Jilly Collins

By [rrothery]

"A hat is the most unnecessary of clothing items and yet the most noticed and remembered. Your spirit lifts when you put on a hat and you do and say things you would never dream of unhatted," Jilly Collins.

PROFESSIONAL milliner and founder of The Artful Hat Company, Jilly Collins just loves designing hats and fascinators for all seasons and events and to suit all heads.

She is pictured here with one of her favourite millinery creations. The Cavalier is a beautiful embroidered dupion silk hat which has been made using a flat pattern technique and, because of the width of the brim, has a wired outside edge.

"The style and design and the decoration all work harmoniously together creating a flamboyant but flattering piece," said Jilly from Westward Ho!. "As with all my designs, my inspiration is partly historical, hence the name and partly theatrical."

Jilly has had something of a theatrical past. She has worked in many aspects of theatre, including the ballet costume department at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

"I adore the colours in the embroidery on this silk, picking up the red in the stripped quills," she added. "My creations are mostly made in strong vibrant colours except for the perennially smart black and white.

"I believe I have inherited my sense of colour from my "illegitimate" grandfather, the bohemian English painter, Augustus John."

The fascinators and cocktail hats that Jilly designs can be made in any colour as the different elements are all hand dyed before construction.

The base material, usually sinamay (dried banana fibres) is manipulated by various techniques such as blocking (whereby it is moulded wet over a shape and then left to dry), weaving, pleating, wiring and moulding. Together with feathers, embellishments including veiling, pearls, cabochons, beads and wired diamante are added increasing the tactile nature of these feminine and elegant pieces.

"My favourite fascinators at the moment are the range of pillboxes that I am creating, inspired by Jackie Kennedy. I welcome commissions, especially so for new designs and can make any hat or fascinator in any colour and size, exactly to the client's requirements. I also offer workshops in millinery techniques whereby participants will make at least one fascinator for themselves."

Jilly can be contacted on 01237 422023 or on 07881 607902 or by e-mail on jilly.collins@btinternet.com. Her website is: www.theartful hatcompany.co.uk.

Jilly's work can also be seen at the Art Bazaar in South Molton's Assembly Rooms tomorrow (Friday, November 13) from noon until 9pm.