New Retailer: Portobello Hats

We're very excited to announce yet another new shop carrying House of Nines Design hats in California- Portobello Hats in Santa Rosa.

They carry vintage, classic, and hand-made hats for both men and women, and also offer classes in hat construction and design.


Here are a few shots of the interior of the shop.

Here are the first batch of our hats that they've got in stock now.

'Maxima' ladies cocktail hat in hunter green velour-finish felt with peacock feathers.

'Pluff' mini pillbox in pacific blue tones.

'Bird Series: Peacock' mini top hat in navy blue fur felt with blue and green ribbon trim, vintage silk veiling, and a big spray of peacock feathers.

'Una' petite mini top in camel long-nap felt with chocolate brown trim, silk veiling, and hand-curled pheasant feathers.

Be sure to check the shop out if you can make it in for a visit- they carry the work of a number of talented milliners!

New Hats at Mystery Mister

Just delivered several new hats to Mystery Mister in San Francisco, including:

A special 'Tilley' ladies soft bowler. This one in tweedy red felt with black and red ribbon trim. Not sure I'll be making more of these unless I hear good feedback on the style, so if you like it let me know.

A mini pillbox for the holidays, this 'Polly' in black with a big cockade, rooster feathers and veiling would look great with a little black dress for holiday parties.

 

New Retailer: Metis Makers in San Francisco

Yet another new retailer for us. Metis Makers, a new collective on Grant Street in North Beach, carries a range of hand-made products made by local designers and artists, including hats, leather goods, hand-made clothing, and jewelry. The shop is gorgeous! Be sure to check it out soon.

Their website doesn't have much on it yet, so see their facebook page for photos of the store, events, etc.

Yesterday, I took over a dozen new hats to the shop. Here are quick snapshots I took of some of them before they were delivered.

Just finished moments before being packed up for delivery, our very newest style, 'Cheri'. It will probably change a bit before its official release in 2014, so most likely this is a one-of-a-kind piece. Black velvety velour-finish felt with chestnut brown trim and a huge gilded glass button.

Here's 'Mattie' in navy blue fur felt with black trim and a spray of exotic feathers. I only had one of the antique buckle, so this hat is one-of-a-kind.

And 'Mrs. Belzoni', our newest cocktail hat style, in black and in hunter green with matching feathers and black trim. 

Head over there soon- they have lots of things that would make great holiday gifts, and Edwardian Ball-ready hats galore.

New Retailer: The Hatbox in Austin

So excited to have our work included in The Hatbox in Austin, Texas.

The Hatbox offers a wide selection of styles for men and women, stocking everything from fancy fascinators for special occasions to cowboy hats. They source hats from all over the world, from popular mass-market suppliers like Stetson to independent designers like us. And they're super nice people, so if you're in Austin be sure to stop by!

New Retailer: Hippik-Hippique

Our retailer Hippik-Hippique specializes in equestrian-related and -themed products, including:

• Hats! and other accessories- gloves, whips, etc.
• Elegantly tailored, bespoke riding ensembles and equestrian corsetry and apparel
• Perfume
• Art
• Antiques and vintage curiosities
• Jewelry
• Luxury horse care products and other things for the barn

They have an online store, but most of their business in conducted at horse shows, competitions, and events through the US and Europe. Their event schedule will start up again next year, so check their website in 2014 for upcoming events.

New Retailer: Orphic

Looking for hats in the Los Angeles area? Check out our retailer in West Hollywood, Orphic.

Orphic's gorgeous showroom on Sunset Boulevard is full of jewelry, art, and stylish couture clothing for men and women, including many one-of-a-kind pieces, all create by high-end independent designers and artists from around the world. We are very excited to be included in their collection!

New Special Hats at Dark Garden

I just delivered a passel of new hats to Dark Garden in San Francisco today. Perfect for holiday gifts or the Edwardian Ball! In addition to several of the new styles available also in our Etsy shop, I've been brewing up some special styles, many of them one-of-a-kind. Here are some quick snapshots of the latest batch.

Ah, nostalgia. This is a 'Kit Kat', one of my earliest styles, a petite mini bowler. Tweedy chocolate brown fur felt, trimmed with a cockade in vintage ribbon and distressed veiling. This one and the red one that follows will probably be the *last* 'Kit Kats' I make (I'm moving to a slightly larger mini bowler soon), unless they're requested, so grab them while you can or contact me about a custom order. 

A tweedy red 'Kit Kat' with a classic cockade and big spray of red feathers.

The following are all a preview of some new styles that will be released in my Etsy shop by mid-2014- if you'd like to order any of these before that, contact me for a custom order.
 
Here's the 'Mattie'. Made with long-nap felt on our short, John Bull style mini top hat block, trimmed with super fancy feathers and an antique Victorian buckle brooch. More similar to this are coming soon, but only *two* of these brooches are available, so if you like the look, better snatch one up while they last. FYI some of the feathers on this hat come from our cruelty-free exotic feather supplier and unfortunately are not available for shipment outside the US, due to trade restrictions. But, if you like the look I can put together something equally awesome that will pass customs for international customers, just ask.

Here's the 'Marlene'. It's a taller mini top hat in long-nap felt with vintage ribbon and a big faceted jet button. I might change it a bit, so consider this a one-of-a-kind piece. I'll be making this one next year with different ribbon and possibly other changes- there was only enough of this extra-wide antique ribbon for one hat!

Another preview style- 'Mrs. Belzoni' will officially launch in 2014 in four colors- black, and also in hunter green, navy and cherry red, all with black trim. The long, hand-curled pheasant feathers are gorgeous- they're dyed to match the felt, but with their natural markings showing through the color and have amazing iridescence that doesn't show in these photos. Be an early adopter and get one now before they're all over the place.

And, one last little beauty. This is 'Therese', a petite mini top hat in gorgeous medium gray velvet-finish felt with a cockade in silver, black and white striped ribbon, delicate black silk veiling, and a big spray of black rooster hackle feathers. Stripes + cockades = fantastic. I'll also be making these in other striped combinations for 2014. 

If any of these strike your fancy, head on over to Dark Garden or contact me by email at (tricia @ house of nines design. com) - with no spaces in the address- for mail order. Dark Garden is also carrying House of Nines Design hats in a special display each weekend of Dickens Fair, so be sure to look for it!

Meet 'Mrs. Belzoni'

I have a soft spot for fezes. Here's a quick shot of the latest: 'Mrs. Belzoni':

Welcome 'Endora'

And last (but certainly not least) for this batch of our Fall / Winter 2014 collection comes 'Endora', a very special new mini style.

I can't tell you how excited I was when I found the crown block used to shape this hat for sale earlier this summer (for more on hat blocks and how they work, see this previous post). Over the years, I've seen lots of images of 1930s and 1940s hats made in a similar shape, when Elsa Schiaparelli's tiny top hats and other 'doll' hats were all the rage, and a handful of the actual vintage hats here and there, but the original hat blocks for those styles are very rare. So whenever I come across one, I snatch it up. And this one is so witchy, I couldn't resist!

Made with deliciously soft fur felt from our luxury felt supplier in a gorgeous deep navy blue, the 'Endora' is trimmed with a top-stitched matching felt band and chartreuse vintage silk veiling draped around the base of the hat. Three hand-cut ostrich feather pompoms complete the composition, one each in apple green, gold, and burgundy.

While it has a high-peaked crown, the headsize of the 'Endora' is only 19.5", so any size can wear it as a mini. Paired with a slightly domed round picture brim that beautifully frames the face.

One of the things I like best about this hat is how the brim looks different from every angle, so I've included lots of photos.

Available now in our Etsy shop. This is the only color combination for the 'Endora' in our catalog for this season, but the materials are available in other colors. If you might be interested in this shape in other colors or with different trim, just let us know, we're always happy to discuss custom orders.

The Power of 'Pluff'

Next up: our newest mini, the 'Pluff' pillbox.

This ladies whimsy is made from deliciously soft fur felt with a huge ostrich feather pompom. The pillbox shape is mini- just 1.5" high and 4.5" across. Each feather strand is selected and placed within the trim individually by hand according to size, and to create the distinctive pop of color at the center, for maximum effect.

Lilac with purple and hot pink trim.

Black with black and white trim.

 

 Turquoise with light and dark turquoise trim.

All of these are available for sale now in our Etsy shop. Want a different color? Just ask, we're always happy to discuss custom orders.

The 'Deville' Wide Fedora

Looking for a wide, floppy fedora for fall? This is the one you need.

This soft ladies hat is made from lush fur felt from our luxury felt supplier, trimmed with a ribbon band and bow. The brim is very wide and tends to dip down flirtatiously over the eyes. Offers a huge amount of sun protection. Comes fitted with a ribbon sweatband.

This one in petrol (dark teal) with aqua trim.

And also in black with gunmetal gray trim.

Both color combinations are available for sale now in our Etsy shop. Thinking about a different color? Let us know, we're always happy to discuss a custom order.

Another New Style: 'Ilsa'

The 'Ilsa' ladies hat was inspired by a popular peaked-crown style from the 1930s and 1940s that we just had to try out.

Made in soft fur felt from our luxury felt supplier, and trimmed with luscious rayon velvet ribbon. The brim is wide enough in front to dip down over one eye, if you feel like a flirt, and to offer sun protection. The peak in the crown has a pork-pie style shape in the center.

Magenta with periwinkle trim.

And basic black.

 

The 'Ilsa' in both colors is available for sale now in our Etsy shop. Have another color in mind? Just let us know! We're always happy to do custom work.