Susan Downing Millinery

Remembering back to how thrilled I was at this time two years ago, while packing and shipping my surrealist hat design 'Holding On', on the eve of it's adventures during 2020. 😊🎁🌟😍

My inspiration for this velour felt and lace hat was fashion designer Schiaparelli's 1930's designs influenced by her collaborations with renowned surrealist artists of the time.

Between lockdowns, this hat design featured in XTerrace millinery catwalk event at the Shard, and in London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 'To the Future and Back' held in Bermondsey.

My ‘Smoke Curls’ vintage style hat design, made from velour felt trimmed with velvet edging and burnt ostrich feathers. Inspired by millinery fashion circa 1910, incorporating a London theme into the design using hand curled feathers to represent smoke curling from the city’s chimneys during that era.
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This hat was commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Feltmakers of London 🇬🇧 for their display at the Lord Mayor’s Show in the November of a previous year. For inclusion in an ensemble of millinery and costumes authentically referencing early 20th century fashion. Worn by models from the London School of Dance, who were transported in wonderful early motorised carriages and charabang coaches driven by chauffeurs in historical outfits. A fun display, and a step back in time to London a century ago! 🎉💯

🍁🍂Autumn leaves, vintage style, and Surrealism. These are the source of so much of my creative inspiration. Wearing my favourite leopard ‘Bacall Beret’, made from a vintage melamine fur felt, with matching coat. Leopard face mask to match my outfit decorated with Surrealist red lipstick Photographed after visiting London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 😽🐆💋💄❤️

My Schiaparelli inspired Surrealist hat design ‘Holding On’ displayed at London Hat Week Exhibition 2020.

A social afternoon at the private view for London Hat Week Exhibition 2020, which took place a few days ago 🎉😀🎩 Surrounded by hundreds of beautiful and unique hat designs 💕💕 Wearing my much-loved leopard melusine felt ‘Bacall Beret’ with matching coat 🐆co-ordinated with leopard face mask by . Accompanied by Paula Keogh resplendent in Clements Ribero coat worn with my ‘Smoke Curls’ vintage-inspired design made from velour felt trimmed with feathers.

Today is the last chance to visit the exhibition to see my Surrealist retro inspired hat design along with 223 other retro and futuristic hats at 2-3 Black Swan Yard, Bermondsey, London SE1 3XW. The exhibition closes at 6pm tonight.

If you can visit in person, book your ticket via 🎩tinyurl.com/lhw20🎩 or just turn up at the door! If you are unable to travel, please book your ticket to join a virtual tour via 🎩tinyurl.com/lhw20virtual🎩

Really thrilled that my hat design is appearing in this exhibition, alongside so many wonderful designs by other milliners. Now, as the exhibition is about to open, can't wait to see my design displayed 😊🎉

London Hat Week exhibition 2020 'To the Future and Back' 🚀🎩🚂 is happening and you are welcome to visit and discover 200+ retro and futuristic hats.

👒8th-11th October 2020 at 2-3 Black Swan Studios, Bermondsey Street. London SE1 3XW👒

To book tickets: tinyurl.com/lhw20
Tickets available for in-person visits and virtual tours 😊

At the London Hat Week Exhibition press preview catwalk event in March this year, after seeing my hat design 'Holding On' modelled on the catwalk. I wore this hand tailored leopard fur skirt to compliment my favourite leopard fur felt beret. In the delightful company of podcast presenter Zara Janjua and Hat Week Exhibition organiser and milliner Monique Lee 🎉💕

Looking forward to catching up with fellow milliners and guests attending the London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 private view tomorrow🎉🎩😊

The London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 is open 8th-11th October at Black Swan Studios, 2-3 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XW. There is the option of a virtual tour of the exhibition.

Looking back to my Surrealist hat design 'Holding On' modelled at the London Hat Week Exhibition catwalk press preview in March...and looking forward with excitement to seeing this hat design on display at the postponed London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 'To the Future and Back', opening on Thursday 8th October, during London Hat Week 🎩🌟😊🌟🎩

The London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 will be open 8-11th October at Black Swan Studios, 2-3 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XW

Tickets are still available for visiting the exhibition in person as well as for the virtual tour 😀

A glimpse of my Surrealist hat design 'Holding On'. Looking back to earlier this year, when it was packed and ready to send off for inclusion in the London Hat Exhibition 2020 'To the Future and Back'.
Really excited at the prospect of seeing my hat when it makes an appearance today (16th March) on the catwalk at the exhibition press preview event at the Shard 😊🎉👒

Look what arrived the other day.....my new millinery business cards 🤸‍♀️😊
Featuring an image of curled burnt ostrich feathers, inspired by smoke curling from chimneys in early 20th century London.
This feather arrangement decorated a black velour felt hat, inspired by 1910 fashion, that I designed and made for a commission by the Worshipful Company of Feltmakers of London.
As the millinery detail in this image has strong connections with London, I chose it to illustrate the cards for my London based millinery 😊🇬🇧

This pretty vintage hat box came from luxury department store Marshall & Snelgrove of London Oxford Street. The box dates from the 1930's-50's. I have an image in my mind of a bygone era where elegant ladies would emerge from the store carrying one or more of these boxes. I wonder what hat designs they purchased? The hat department in the store specialised in model millinery, I'm sure they would have been beautiful hats.
The store used to organise fashion shows, where models showcased designs by parading amongst the tables in the the store cafe while people ate lunch. The models would hold discreet cards with the garment details and prices for enquiring customers. Can you imagine?

This vintage Marshall & Snelgrove hat box is so pretty. I love the illustrated bright bunches of flowers 💐❤️💐and the store name worked in ribbon loops and bows is a nice detail.
I have plenty of classic black and white stripy hat boxes for samples and commissioned hats, but it's fun to have ones that are decoratively different. Especially when they have a story to tell 😊

I use this vintage hat box to store one of my personal favourite designs, my forties inspired leopard 🐆 Melasine fur felt 'Bacall' beret.
A hat box with history. This hat box came from long-gone luxury department store Marshall & Snelgrove 🌟✨ The box dates from the 1930's-50's, can't be more exact as the iconic packaging design was consistent through those decades. Marshall & Snelgrove were known for their exclusive bespoke fashion and millinery, all handmade couture on the premises. The original store was on London Oxford Street.

The hairs on this leopard print Melasine are so luxurious that the hat needs regular brushing to keep looking it's best! 😊🌟
A natural bristle nail brush is ideal. I use one with 'white' natural bristle (not the tough cactus bristle sort). It's effective at lifting and adjusting wayward hairs. Alternatively I use a vintage natural bristle clothes brush. The bristles have a similar feel to my nail brush, but are very closely packed, providing a smooth sweep.
Important to brush gently and always following the direction of the hairs, anti-clockwise, in a light circular sweep going around the hat to guarantee a lovely smooth finish 😊💛
Whether brushing up an original vintage hat or a contemporary piece of millinery made of this high quality long haired felt, have you found the perfect brush?

My 1940's inspired leopard 'Bacall' beret, which I made from a beautiful vintage fur felt I found in a charity shop. It was an unworn 1960's flowerpot style toque when I discovered it. Lucky for me, the felt was in perfect condition and re-blocked like a dream 😊💕

❤️ My love of old Hollywood glamour, film noir, and vintage style from the thirties, forties and fifties, the inspiration for designing my 'Bacall' beret.
Hat made from a vintage leopard print Melasine fur felt that has really long hairs of luxurious quality 😊💕

I think leopard print never goes out of style. I always love wearing my 1940's inspired leopard 'Bacall' beret 💕💕 I made this hat from an original vintage leopard print fur felt.

At last year's London Hat Week Exhibition 'World Garden'. An afternoon spent admiring the incredibly creative designs on display 😊💕
I wore my 1940's inspired leopard felt 'Bacall' beret for the occasion, which I complimented with an original 1940's wool coat.
So excited to have one of my own designs showcasing this year at London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 🎉💫✨🌟

Sharing a fragment of my sketchbook. Original design sketch for my surrealist hat 'Holding On' showcasing at London Hat Week 2020.
This hat will be gracing the catwalk for the exhibition press preview on 16th March at the Shard. It will also be displayed in 'To the Future and Back' London Hat Exhibition 2020 later this year 🌟💫😊🌟

Sneak preview of my exhibition hat "Holding On'. Modelled here by me. Can't wait to see this hat on a catwalk model at tomorrow's London Hat Exhibition 2020 Press Preview at the Shard. 😊💫🌟✨🌟

Thinking back to how much I enjoyed looking around last year's London Hat Week Exhibition 'World Garden' at the Menier Gallery London. Wearing my favourite leopard beret, and surrounded by wonderfully creative hats from all over the globe!
This year's London Hat Week Exhibition is currently postponed due to virus precautions, but will hopefully take place later this year.

My inspiration for this hat was fashion designer Schiaparelli's 1930's designs influenced by surrealist artists of the time.
London Hat Week Exhibition 2020 theme is 'To the Future and Back', my hat will appear in the Retro collection. Can't wait to see it displayed amongst the amazing creative designs by other milliners!

This is my hat design 'Holding On' which is being showcased at London Hat Week Exhibition 2020. It will also be featured at the Press Preview catwalk event at the Shard on Monday 1t6h March. So exciting!😊💫🌟✨

So thrilled that my hat 'Holding On' is selected to be exhibited at London Hat Week Exhibition 2020. Huge thank you to Xterrace for selecting my design and making this dream possible!😊💫🍾🌟🎉