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© Diana Sousa
© Diana Sousa
© Diana Sousa
© Diana Sousa
© Diana Sousa

Sofia Caldas

  • Avo Atelier
  • Milliner
  • Cascais, Portugal
  • Rising Star
Sofia Caldas Milliner
Contact
Portuguese, English
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+351 916528904
© Diana Sousa

Sculpture for the top of your head

  • • Sofia discovered her passion for millinery while working in a hat shop
  • • She learned her craft as a tribute to her grandfather
  • • Her artistic, handmade pieces express tradition and modernity

Sofia Caldas studied painting but was drawn to the world of traditional hat making when working as an assistant in a hat shop. "I did not see the making process of the hats that were in this shop as they came from a manufacturer. I believed it was possible to do more than what I saw and became curious to experiment with shaping the felt myself.” Crafting her own artistic path in millinery, Sofia believed in learning traditional hat making techniques while experimenting with shapes and exploring new materials like wood and stone sheets. Today, each hat she makes becomes a wearable canvas used to tell a unique story. Her beautifully-finished and sculptural hats may also contain messages hidden within the piece, or even house a music box to brighten the day of the wearer.

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©Diana Sousa
  • ©Diana Sousa
  • ©Diana Sousa
  • ©Diana Sousa
  • ©Diana Sousa
Photo: ©Diana Sousa
A Bailarina

This handmade hat has a music box sealed inside it, that plays Mozart’s 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'. A small handle is placed in the crown of the hat to be turned just like a dancing ballerina in a music box. The pink felt is decorated with a satin brim and lining, a hint to ballerina shoes.

Photo: ©Diana Sousa
Blue Mountain

A fur felt hat shaped entirely by hand in light blue. Like a painting on a canvas the crown and body of the hat shows the scene of a mountain with a small lake, a couple of trees and a bird embroidered by hand. The interior has a leather ribbon and satin lining.

Photo: ©Diana Sousa
These hats are made for walkin'

Tribute to Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 song, this hat shaped entirely by hand features two handles to suggest the playful idea that hats are also taken on walks. Made in forest green in melusine, the rim is reinforced with a green velvet ribbon. The interior is lined with black satin and a leather ribbon with a little pocket to place a coin if needed on the walk.

Photo: ©Diana Sousa
Peacock Love

Hand made in emerald green melusine, the name of this hat compliments its colour and the exuberance of wearing it. The hat body, entirely hand moulded, has almost three different levels. Its shape appears to break through the wide brim, which in turn presents two parallel lines in relief. It is a hat evoking attitude, elegance and charm. The interior has a leather band and blue satin lining.

Photo: ©Diana Sousa
Scarpa

A hand-dyed fur felt hat in arid earthy and rusty tones. Its undulating crown with parallel branches pay tribute to the works of Carlo Scarpa with the repetition of frames visible in many of his works. On the side of the body is a flake of marble stone. The flap is edged with cotton ribbon with a leather inner band and rust-coloured satin lining. It is made entirely by hand.

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