Louise McDonald Millinery Classes
For Spring Carnival, learn a hat trick from the very best
Colour matching, textures, ribbons, feathers…
Finding a hat for the races – neither a fast nor cheap task – is usually left to the last minute. But, this year, how about being first out of the gate? DIY, my dear.
If anyone knows their bonnets, it’s Louise McDonald, one of Australia’s leading hatmakers, or milliners as they like to say in the trade. Her designs have been worn by Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter in Howards End, Tom Cruise in Far and Away, and Jennifer Ehle in Pride & Prejudice. So sophisticated and stylish are her designs that the NGV bought her ‘Miss Moneypenny’ and ‘Bibi Cap’ for their collection.
Today, Louise designs and makes ready-to-wear hats and headpieces, and couture made-to-measures, from her Melbourne studio. With a focus on race wear, she’s known to draw inspiration from garage sales, hardware shops and historical pieces. Her hats have been spied everywhere from the Darwin and Broome Cups to the Dubai World Cup.
And she’s happy to share her skills. Her millinery classes teach the secrets of design and costume pieces, as well as new and traditional hat-making techniques. Together with beginner and intermediate classes, specific workshops cover the likes of how to make a vintage-textured hat, button beret or sculptured headpiece, ribbon origami and 1920s cockade trims.
If you want to get ready for the races, sign up for her beginner and intermediate classes, which kick off next Monday, 8 August and run six sessions over six weeks. Otherwise, the next classes start on 17 November, although by then fascinators start to give way to Santa’s red-and-white headgear.
For more inspiration, check out the exhibition of Louise’s 20 years of works at the Stephen McLaughlan Gallery, from 30 August to 5 September, in the Nicholas building where her studio is located. How’s hat for the perfect precursor to the Spring Racing Carnival?
Where: Rm 3, 8th Fl, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne
Price: $350, plus materials (about $30 to $80 per hat)
Phone: (03) 9650 1352
Details: millinery.com.au
