This vegetable-inspired headpiece was handcrafted by Deirdre from silk taffeta and satin, buckram, leather, epoxy resin and straw in a complex and very detailed process. The hand painted bean pods are made from epoxy resin, covered in buckram and leather, then wired to shape. The beans, modelled by hand, were painted and glued inside the pods, while the leaves are made from hand-dyed silk taffeta. The straw base was hand sewn.
Length 10 cm
Width 9 cm
Height 12 cm
© Julian Calder
© Deirdre Hawken
© Deirdre Hawken
© Deirdre Hawken
Deirdre Hawken
- Milliner
- London, United Kingdom
- Master Artisan
Contact
English, French, German
Hours:
By appointment only
By appointment only
Phone:
+44 2083184736
+44 2083184736
© Peter Clark images
Sophisticated irony
- • Deirdre creates surprising couture headpieces
- • She was trained as a costume designer
- • Her millinery is elegant and playful
Trained as a costume and set designer for theatre and cinema, precociously multitalented Deirdre Hawken is one of the most original and internationally acclaimed milliners. Using traditional methods, in her London studio she designs and handcrafts unique headpieces, with a keen eye and a loving care for detail – she also creates jewellery. Deirdre’s works are exhibited in prestigious museums from Japan to USA. Her couture millinery is at the same time sophisticated and ironic. “Millinery is an underrated art form. My work in theatre taught me that research is extremely important: I spend hours exploring various sources – from Modern Cuisine, which is visually stunning, to botany.” Lively and playful, her approach always leads to surprising results.
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: © Peter Clark images
Borlotti Beans headpiece
Photo: © Peter Clark images
Macaron headpiece
This witty headpiece is inspired by the French pâtisserie. Many colours (purple, turquoise, pink, mauve, orange, pale green) stand out against the black elegant satin and taffeta of the box. The macarons were cut from circles of buckram, then wired, padded with wadding and covered with hand-dyed silk velvet, while the cream centres are circles of silk velvet gathered together.
Length 10 cm
Width 10 cm
Height 12 cm
Photo: © Peter Clark images
Pepper headpiece
This playful and spicy creation is one of the several naturalistic headpieces designed and totally handcrafted by Deirdre. The peppers were made from epoxy resin, then covered in buckram and hand-dyed leather. The seeds were hand sewn to the pepper bases, while the leaves were realised from hand-dyed silk taffeta and then wired. The straw base was hand sewn.
Length 24 cm
Width 9 cm
Height 9 cm
Photo: © Peter Clark images
Pomegranate headpiece
Inspired by the colours and lush of pomegranates, this creation by milliner Deirdre is a joyful and lively headpiece. The fruits of the pomegranate were made from blocks of stiffened buckram, covered with buckram and with hand-dyed leather. These bases for the fruits were then decorated with hand sewn glass beads. The leaves were made from hand-dyed, wired leather. The base was made from hand-dyed silk velvet, blocked and wired to shape.
Length 13.5 cm
Width 6 cm
Height 11 cm
Photo: © Peter Clark images
Sardine headpiece
Sardines on a headpiece are not very common: Deirdre is often inspired by the artistic freedom and witty combinations of the Surrealists, playing with the unusual and extraordinary. The bases for the sardines were hand carved and covered with the lame and the netting, then sprayed with paint. The leaves were made from silk taffeta, hand-dyed and wired together, while the base was handcrafted from strip straw.
Length 10 cm
Width 10 cm
Height 10 cm
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