Eleonora Bruno

Ely B

Milliner

©Elybhats

The millinery of freedom

Eleonora creates imaginative headpieces and fashion hats
Her style is flamboyant and daring, with stark contrasts
She collaborates with fashion houses for photoshoots and catwalk shows

Eleonora Bruno's journey into millinery began when, as a child, she took painting and sculpture lessons, learning to model clay by hand. At fashion college in Florence she acquired the basics of tailoring. Thanks to an internship with feather artist Duccio Mazzanti, Eleonora created her first hat prototypes. "That is when I realised this could become my profession," she shares. She attended the three-year fashion design course at Polimoda in Florence and dedicated her final show to Florentine Renaissance Madonnas, creating feathered headpieces evocatively reminiscent of halos. She participated in Vogue Talent, during which she met Carla Sozzani, Anna Winthour, and Anna Dello Russo. "I am not a minimalist. I have always been eccentric," says Eleonora of herself. Today, she is involved with fashion brands, creating her original pieces in her Florentine atelier.

Interview

©Elybhats

©Elybhats

What inspires your creativity?: Trends ranging from Art Deco to the 1980s. My mother is Romanian and my father is a Florentine antiques dealer, so I also refer to the Romanian tradition of using flowers, and to Florentine Renaissance art in my pieces. My inspirations are Galliano, St. Laurent, and Lagerfeld, whom I had the honour of meeting.
What do you think makes your work recognisable?: Strong contrasts through the combination of elements that do not traditionally go together. I do not like what is banal and predictable, so I always try to combine unexpected materials and colours. I blend diverse influences and make the whole piece very modern.
What do you love most about your work?: The initial excitement of creation, when I do not yet know what I will make. In this stage, I begin by selecting the materials, before giving them shape. I feel an energy, like an electric shock. I only calm down when the work is finished. Working is a kind of therapeutic journey, which ultimately culminates in a sense of liberation.
Has there been a memorable moment in your professional life?: Yes, meeting Sarah Jessica Parker. At the time when she was the face of Intimissimi, I was working on the brand's fashion show, for which I crafted a dozen feathered headpieces. I gave her one of my pieces as a gift. Another of my feathered creations was worn by Jennifer Lopez when she was photographed by Harper's Bazaar America.

Eleonora Bruno is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2010