Lisa is an artist, an inventor of the extraordinary designs. She creates all her bespoke pieces by hand from her Hertfordshire studio, using quality materials combining tradition and contemporary millinery techniques to create wearable Art, Lisa aims to provide with the perfect hat/headpiece whatever the occasion, so you will feel perfectly dressed from head to toe and ready to turn heads. We have got a chance to take her exclusive interview.
Tell us something about yourself?
My family would call me the Mad Hatter as I am quite quirky according to my neice and nephews, I am happy with this description as I don’t have children, so I get to play the role of Aunty, it’s a fun job and my best role in life.
When and how did you start designing?
I have always been creative and at school the Art subjects were always my best subjects, when I was home I would sit and design, and always told people when I grew up I wanted to be a Designer, I attended Art college after school where I studied Fashion & Textiles, specializing in Fashion, I then attended London college of Fashion to study Costume, I worked in retail for two and a half years, where I worked in Retail Management and Visual Merchandising, I realized I wanted to get back more into designing so I left that job and studied for a further two years at Kensington & Chelsea college the art of Millinery.
I found myself unemployed and decided to turn my hobby into a business; it was whilst on a photo shoot I found a passion for styling, I have been styling and making headwear ever since.
Who was your inspiration?
I have always followed my own heart and wishes, I have never really followed people or been influenced by them, I only ever try to be better than the person I was yesterday, there is no point comparing myself to others as we all have our own unique journey and path to walk in life. I don’t want to be compared to others either so I try not to be inspired by other designers, I want my designs to be unique to me.
Being a headwear designer, what were the challenges you face?
The biggest challenge for me being a headwear designer is to be commercial, I am still learning this, as an artist it is easy to lose oneself in the art of what you do and forget that their needs to be an end product that appeals to people to buy.
What do you like outside of fashion?
It sounds so cliché but I love to spend time with family and friends, I love being in nature so can often be found out walking, I love visiting places of interest or browsing places on the internet it always inspires me for future shoots, social media is a big part of my day as if I am not planning shoots, I am sharing images from shoots, or I am researching for future projects or networking with creative’s.
What you enjoy most about your profession?
I love that I get to work with so many creative’s, my job is very solitary when I am working on creating headwear, so it is nice that with the photo shoots I get to collaborate with some amazing people in the industry. I have worked with many designers in the capacity of being a stylist and I have worked with many stylists in the capacity of being a headwear designer, I love the fact that my job is ever evolving and that I can pick and choose what I do.
What are your future plans?
I am in talks with online retailers in USA to stock some of my designer headwear, and I am getting more into styling shoots. I found a new passion for creating beautiful or quirky editorial images.
I also have some projects in the pipeline to style Amazing Arabella a teenage blogger/social media influencer.
Any messages for the youngsters?
Yes, my message would be before you begin anything, learn to accept yourself and have confidence in your own abilities, whatever direction you decide to go in, this is the most vital life lesson you can ever learn and will benefit you in all areas of your life.
