Roxana Batog

Making a statement

• Roxana studied millinery in London
• Her hats are made with high-quality materials and entirely stitched by hand
• She mixes English techniques and Italian glamour

Born in Romania, Roxana Batog moved to Florence when she was only 19. Her dream was to become a fashion designer, but she needed money for rent, so she ended up being a real estate agent for 15 years. Then in 2018 everything changed when she got a cancer diagnosis and it made her reevaluate her life choices. It was at that moment that Roxana began to rediscover her creative self. She started wearing turbans that she had made herself. But it was only when she sewed her first hat for a wedding that a new world opened up. Roxana enjoyed it so much that she decided to become a professional milliner. She attended a course in London and took another one online from an Australian academy. At the end of 2019 she launched her own brand, Batog.

Interview

© Batog

© Batog

Which countries influences your style?

My millinery is influenced by two countries. From England, I took the technical perfection such as sewing everything by hand, also the hat brim that elsewhere is machine-stitched. But the glamour, boldness and modernity of my models are quintessentially Italian.

What are your favourite materials?

I only use high-quality, mostly Tuscan materials: fur felt and wool for the Autumn/Winter collections, Florentine straw, knotted sisal, silk and veils for the Spring/Summer ones, as well as flowers, chains, crystals and other precious details for embellishment.

Do you have a signature piece?

The kintsugi hats, decorated with golden veins and inspired by the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. They are very meaningful to me, as they represent new life, a second chance, the choice of enhancing your scars rather than hiding them.

Are your hats for everyday use?

I make both everyday hats and occasion ones. They are statement pieces. Every woman should wear one: people who say “I’m not a hat person” are wrong, they just haven’t yet found the perfect model that suits them.

Roxana Batog is a rising star: she began her career in 2019

Where