Gráinne Maher
Glassy bloom with quills on leather percher
This hat continues the exploration of my 'glassy flower' technique, which uses a process of wire frame petals and a special resin and strengthener combined. I searched for many years as a milliner to find a signature process that I could really develop as an aesthetic not only for one collection, but for my future millinery catalogue as a whole. I had seen similar glass-like flowers somewhere online and the image of those stayed with me. I had to teach myself through trial and error to develop the practice, and there were many fails along the ways! But now I have really figured out the best way to create these so that they aren't too fragile and can withstand the test of time. The design possibilities are endless and I find the making of each new hat an utter joy!
Price: £1495.
“I have used a traditional blocking technique to make the rose gold leather base, with a combination of sinamay rear and foss shape base blocked with rose gold leather to face the percher. Combining this with my resin flower technique, this combines the traditional heritage techniques of hat blocking with modern components, specifically resin.
I consider heritage to be a framework for us to refer to and preserve, time trusted practices, and is also something to be added to, to be stretched and developed. A new heritage is created with every new generation of artists and makers. ”
Materials and Techniques
Resin
Gold plated copper wire
Enamel paint
Ostrich quills
Sinamay and leather hand blocked percher base
Millinery Heritage
“I began my hatmaking journey around 16 years ago, completely inspired by the most exquisite and gravity defying pieces I saw in magazine editorials by Philip Treacy. I studied Music at University, at an Art college in the south west of England - Dartington College of Arts - in the 90’s and had the most incredible journey of learning and study post-grad for many years also. The jump to millinery came quite out of the blue, but actually my schooling prepared me in so many ways for the journey to become a couture milliner. Not least by the way it taught me to enjoy the play, the discovery, the happy accidents, which make your work/your output your own. ”
About Gráinne Maher
Gráinne Maher is a couture milliner and accessories designer based in Belfast, most recently adding art fabric and wallpaper designs to her portfolio. She is the curator of the Irish Millinery Collective, and in recent weeks has started a ‘Hat chats’ series on her IGTV. Awards include Ulster Tatler Fashion Designer of the Year, and her work has been worn by personalities such as Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York, Selena Gomez and Alexandra Burke. She has shown her collections at London Fashion Week over several seasons at FASHIONSCOUT and her millinery work has appeared in press worldwide including ELLE UK, Vogue.it, Harper’s Bazaar China, Irish Times magazine and EDITORIAL NY. She is passionate about combining artisan millinery couture skills with modern materials and techniques, including laser cutting, 3D printing and digital print design.