Sophie Beale

Milliner

Tomas Bertelsen ©Michelangelo Foundation

Creative hat maker with a unique style

Sophie Beale is author of Contemporary Millinery: Hat Design and Construction
Her hats look minimal but are complicated to make
She won the Hat Factor competition in 2012

Growing up, Sophie Beale was always passionate about creativity. She chose to study costume design at university, and always made a hat for each outfit she designed, but it wasn’t until after graduating that she realised she could entirely dedicate herself to millinery. She decided to take a millinery course at Kensington and Chelsea College to learn more about hat design in a professional context, and she credits this experience with helping her develop her own ideas and design aesthetic. She went on to work with acclaimed British milliner Stephen Jones before launching her own brand, which saw her named Britain’s ‘hottest new milliner’ in 2012.

Interview

Tomas Bertelsen ©Michelangelo Foundation

Tomas Bertelsen ©Michelangelo Foundation

What techniques do you use to design and make?: I am quite traditional in the techniques I use. I tend to find ways of updating them through clean design and unusual material choices rather than using modern tools or digital technologies. I love to work every piece with my own hand.
Where do you get inspiration from?: I am naturally drawn to explore the things I’m passionate about. There is always an element throughout my work that involves my love of historical dress and old Hollywood glamour, set to a backdrop of fresh blustery days on clifftops and a dark and wistful atmosphere.
What did you learn from working with master milliners?: Every expert develops their own way of doing things. Taking on board the knowledge of each milliner, but refining what I have learned and making it work best for me, was priceless. It has helped me remain true to my own making and design style rather than simply copying.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?: Having no two days the same, the privilege of designing and making my own creations from scratch, meeting my customers and creating something special for them, seeing somebody walk away happy and enjoy wearing their hat. These are all wonderful things.

Sophie Beale is a master artisan: she began her career in 2011 and she started teaching in 2014