It’s a mark of the quality of Edwina Ibbotson’s millinery that her popularity, whether with royals, celebrities or south London brides, has been achieved solely by word of mouth, or from people passing her elegant shop front on Queenstown Road.
It’s quite an achievment for anyone, let alone a person who began life in a tiny rural village in Yorkshire with no shop, pub or church, and certainly no hat makers. Fortunately, Edwina didn’t have to look far to find one though. "A friend convinced me to go with her to a local millinery classes. There weren’t many classes around in those days and those that did exist tended to be ladies making hats for church, but it inspired me to start making myself flowers and things to wear on hats and in my hair from crepe paper and any scraps of fabric I could find."
Such innovative use of materials helped Edwina move from making hats as a past-time to doing it for a living. She enrolled and trained at the world-renowned Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, followed by the London College of Fashion and even private tuition with royal and celebrity milliner Rose Cory. It was during this time that Edwina says she learnt the practical skills to complement her flourishing creativity.
Edwina’s subsequent success was thanks to a combination of her great talent, hard graft and a touch of luck. She gained herself a small business loan and grant from the Prince’s Youth Trust which was sufficient to allow her to showcase her work in her workshop window in Clerkenwell. This led to a chance encounter with a dressmaker who recommended Edwina to her clients. This was all the break that she needed and she grabbed it with both hands, with each satisfied client working as a link to the next. Eventually, 12 years ago she moved to her current location in Battersea. "It was all I could afford at the time, but it’s proved to be a fantastic location for the business and I’ve found a wonderfully loyal and friendly client base. Millinery is a very small business and so it’s good to find a space for yourself. Queenstown Road has been good to me." With everything made to order, prices can vary from £400-£1000 and Edwina’s clients ranges from royalty and nobility to race-goers and brides. To the last category she’s also recently added hen parties: "It’s been really popular," Edwina confirms. "I can take up to 12 and they come in for a full day to make various headpieces which they can then all wear to the wedding."
She also runs classes for those who like millinery as a hobby. "It’s growing in popularity all the time. Not just my classes, Kensington and Chelsea College and Royal College both have courses and are having to turn people away. I don’t think there is any chance of millinery being a dying craft," she states categorically. "Maybe 20 years ago, but now there is a huge amount of choice hat-wise from wide brimmed to headpieces."
It’s certainly true that this spring/summer’s catwalks were awash with headgear. It seems that as the fashion industry continues to strive for individuality, it is turning to head pieces to give outfits that finishing touch and extra edge.
Edwina is in no doubt what we should all be wearing this spring/summer: "We’ll see lots of tulle, flowers and frothy candy-floss hats and headdress" she smiles. "But personally I’d like to see a lot more brimmed hats and creative materials. I love working with felt and original fabrics. Actually, I just love creating things!"
Edwina Ibbotson 45 Queenstown Road, Battersea, SW8 3RG, 020 7498 5390;
10-6:30 by appointment