Once a hat maker known for their occasion hats said to me ‘We are different types of hat makers.’ And from the context of the conversation , I could tell that she was referring to me making not only decorative hats but also day-to-day hats like fabric hats and caps and they considered those hats ‘non-couture’.
To me couture means ‘handmade by trained professionals’ and my training with my teacher, who I consider to be the very best in the world, certainly included training on how to make fabric hats couture way. It started with choice of fabrics including linings, how to make patterns, how to cut fabrics, why interlinings are important, why certain parts need to be sewn by hand instead of using sewing machines, why certain parts must be sewn by machines, how to bind peaks of caps, how to steam and block the fabrics before and after sewing. The hat maker who I mentioned earlier probably didn’t know that I was making my fabric hats the way I just explained and thought that I was another one selling ‘easily made commercial utility hats’ to make money. Obviously, she has never seen my fabric hats.
Of course I also make occasion hats and they are different in appearance but to me, what makes something ‘couture’ is how much time and effort you put in for good results for the customers. I fuss about process of making fabric hats so they are not only beautiful but light and comfortable to wear and make my customers happy wearing them in day-to-day situations.
Meanwhile another thing about couture. when I was small, even ‘ordinary’ people would have one nice thing made as a treat now and then while wearing more humble things day-to-day. So we all knew what couture items were like and how they were different. And they also knew they couldn’t always afford such things so they’d save up and once they got one, they’d cherish it forever.
I always enjoyed making fabric hats as much as when I made more expressive pieces. In fact, joy of making something worn by my customers daily and repairing once every few years is very unique and I feel very emotional when I see my customers going to work, going on holidays and walking their dogs.
Appreciation of couture is about sensitivity, knowledge and trust between the maker and the user. I call this concept ‘C4A’ or ‘couture for all’. And I want to believe that, the more people join ‘the couture club’, awareness of sustainability will automatically raised in a truly genuine way.
Just a random thought I had while fixing and refreshing an English tweed cap which was brought in by a customer who wore it for 5 years solidly. This way I want to make sure that you can wear my hats for a long time and we have an excuse to see each other now and then and catch up.
