Growing up in outback Queensland seems the most remote and unlikely place to spend your entire professional career making beautiful headwear.
The reality is, however, that sun protection was a necessity in the harsh heat of this part of the country. Cathy Kelly, acclaimed milliner, shares how she first developed a love of hats recalling a story of her mother getting her dressed to take her into town, a hundred miles away. She explains that a hat was a necessary accessory when they were dressed to make such a trip.
Her passion for all things ‘headwear’ really came to be when she arrived in London and went to the races at Ascot where she fell in love with the fabulous hats she saw being worn around the track.
Her career has spanned many years and she has had many setbacks, including the sudden and tragic death of her husband. She embraced her craft with even more drive and tenacity buying a studio space where she has since established a thriving ‘atelier’.
Recently, she had the privilege of making the hat worn by Jodie Haydon’s, the Australian prime Minister’s partner, headpiece for the King’s coronation, a moment she feels defines her skills and love of all things millinery!
