Conformateur Update

Just received my conformateur set back from a full restoration. It looks gorgeous. Can't wait to use it to offer custom shaping.

One Day Sale - 25% off at Dark Garden on 7/17

One day only: House of Nines Design hats will be on sale at 25% off during Dark Garden's annual rummage sale. Sunday 7/17 11am-5pm.

As usual they will be selling fabric remnants, leather scraps, findings, Cinderella corsets, gently worn archive stock and customers’ “outgrown” corsets, as well as offering discounts on some clothing in stock.

Don't miss it!

Gearing up for Fall

My fall collection is slow in coming together, but there has been a lot of R&D. I'm starting to make new types of trims: handmade (by me, of course) flowers sculpted from silk satin, silk velvet, cotton velveteen, silk taffeta, silk organza, etc. These are going to go on lots of new hats styles, especially for bridal.

Also, I've been learning some new featherwork, and ribbonwork styles.

I've got another set of brand new, custom hat blocks en route from Guy Morse Brown Hatblocks in the UK, so new shapes are also on the way.

Customer Photos: Irina & Len

Thanks to Irina and Len for sending in these fantastic shots from their wedding engagement photos.

Irina wears a Belle Epoch mini top hat in charcoal gray long-nap fur felt with black trim.










See the full set of photos here.

Photos by Arrowood Photography
Weddings | Spaces | People
www.ArrowoodPhotography.com
www.TaraArrowood.com

Hats in the Media

Hats and headwear are getting so much press lately. In the wake of a general hat revival that's been building over the last several years, the recent royal wedding has only increased world-wide interest in putting stuff on heads.

It seems like just about everyday this year, there have been articles in newspapers, fashion magazines, and on the radio talking about hats.

Whether you loved it or not, after the wedding, Princess Beatrice auction off her famous 'pretzel hat' for over $130,000 for charity, which was a nice thing to do.

Here are just a few other recent media mentions:
The Kansas City Star talks about hats as fashion accessories and health aids for sun protection.

A slideshow of hats from the royal wedding.

This article The Daily Mail announces headwear's renewed popularity in the US, with a few good photos.

CBS News agrees, mentioning the 1930s-1940s style fedora as an emerging trend.

Kentucky Derby fashion, which is mostly about hats.

SF Weekly 'Best Of' Awards

The SF Weekly gives out 'Best Of' awards annually for the best local businesses, people, things to do, etc. in San Francisco.

They've just awarded one of my retailers, Alternative Design Studio (aka ADS Hats), their 'Best Hat Store' award. House of Nines Design is mentioned as an attraction . Read the full story here.

Customer Photo: Catherine

I was honored to make a special custom birthday hat for Catherine of Guy Morse Brown Hat Blocks.



It's a 'Yvette' style mini top hat in red long-nap felt with black trim. She looks great!