21 July 2010
A newly qualified Milliner from Ampleforth, in North Yorkshire, is hoping that her collection of 1940s hats will dazzle the crowds at one of the UK’s biggest nostalgic events.
Hollywood glamour, Home Front fashion and the Land Girls are three themes that are being drawn on to help launch a new and exciting collection of hats from Suzanne Gill.
They’ll be on show at The Railway in Wartime event, which this year is being held on 15, 16 and 17 October. The event takes place in Pickering and along the line of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Such has been the popularity of the event in recent years that crowds in excess of 20,000 can be expected. The clock is turned back to the Home Front of 1943 and a bygone age of austerity.
The collection of hats is a first commission for Suzanne Gill, who has qualified with a distinction in Millinery from the Leeds College of Art. She’s teamed up with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to showcase her work and her collection of hats will be on display in the new Learning Centre on Platform 2 of Pickering Station. Suzanne has chosen to make a range of hats that fit comfortably in a 1940s setting.
Part of her collection will show just how the influence of Hollywood and the silver screen affected war-time fashion, following the closure of the French and Italian fashion houses. Many of the leading female stars had a big influence, including Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman and Joan Crawford. Film Noir was the most popular film genre of the time with Alfred Hitchcock one of the most prevalent directors. Crime films in particular were dark and dramatic.
Many famous designers, such as Elsa Schiaparelli designed costumers for the major film companies. Typical styles worn in film Noir were tailored suits, usually with nipped waist and fashioned shoulders. These stylish suits were accessorised with avant-garde hats and the more classic berets. Fedora hats became popular for men – epitomised by Humphrey Bogart in the 1942 film Casablanca. A female version of the trilby was popularised following its use in the classic film Brief Encounter.
A number of hats will mirror the influences from within the United Kingdom during this period. Back home in Britain, Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amis were popular designers and central to British couture before and during the Second World War. Hartnell in particular built a reputation for providing exquisite collections for the Royal Family and other wealthy clients in the 1930s. In the war years, Hartnell was instrumental in forming The Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers. The INCSOC designed utility clothing for the masses. One of the challenges was to observe government austerity rules on the amount of material which could be used in a design. A dress, for example, could not have more than 2 pockets or 3 buttons. There had to be only a certain number of seams, pleats and stitches. Although rationed, utility clothing was made available to all and was sold in popular high street stores such as Marks & Spencer’s. The garments were of good quality and durable. Hartnell became the first great couturier to design ready-to-wear clothing.
The third aspect to Suzanne’s collection will be a tribute to the Land Girls. During the war years, with millions of men away from home, the government wanted more women to become involved in the production of food and do their part for the war effort. Thus the Women’s Land Army was formed, nicknamed the “Land Girls” because many were sent to live on farms in the countryside in order to help increase the amount of food grown. They were easily identified by their hats, jumpers and trousers and by the end of 1944 they numbered 80,000 members. Suzanne will feature a number of hats in honour of the Land Girls serving in the area during the war years. This collection of hats is inspired by the beautiful heather-clad Moors and is in memory of her Great aunt, a hat lover and former Land Girl.
Suzanne is hoping that by drawing on these themes, her collection of hats will not only dazzle the crowds but stimulate further commissions, given the thousands of visitors and re-enactors attending the event, which is now in its 18th year. She said: “As a newly qualified Milliner, I wanted to find something innovative to help launch my business, and I had heard about the popularity of this event. I’m very pleased to be taking part. It’s a great way to show what I am capable of creating, whether classic or contemporary. All my hats are truly bespoke and I cater for all ages and budgets. I tailor each design to suit the client’s individual needs. For the forties collection I have used a number of recycled items to be true to the make do and mend era. I also want to show that as a designer in modern times it is important to recycle. With forties fashion making a comeback, the aim of my collection is to dazzle.”
Phil Bustard, Marketing & External Affairs Manager for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Suzanne. Her work impressed us from day one. Her collection adds a new dimension to this popular event and is sure to help draw the crowds. We hope she is successful in gaining new commissions with our help.”
For more information on Suzanne Gill Millinery go to www.suzannegillmillinery.co.uk. Alternatively contact 01439 788170.
ENDS
About Suzanne Gill Millinery
After qualifying with a distinction in Millinery, Suzanne Gill is one of Britain’s newest talents. Her love affair with classic and contemporary hats and headwear is evidenced in her portfolio of creations that have been enthusiastically received.
A graduate from the Leeds College of Art, Suzanne likes working with both traditional and more unconventional materials to create hats of distinction.
Daring to be different, she enjoys creating hats that are quirky and innovative. Her use of recycled materials makes her one of Britain’s most sustainable millinery businesses.
But she is equally committed to reviving vintage designs and draws her inspiration from the backdrop against which she works – the timeless beauty of the North York Moors, with its iconic abbeys and historic houses.
Working from home in Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, she admits it’s a convenient base from which to work with clients, particularly those who want to dress to impress on race days at York, Wetherby, Thirsk, Ripon and Catterick.
Her extensive portfolio has been carefully crafted to show that no matter what the occasion, whether charity ball or glamorous wedding, family celebration or a touch of the theatricals, Suzanne is well placed to meet the individual needs of a wide range of clients.
Her trade mark is to provide each client with a bespoke solution to their needs. As a busy mum to two daughters Suzanne appreciates that most women have little time or have very few occasions to feel glamorous. The ethos behind Suzanne Gill Millinery is that every woman deserves to feel special.
Suzanne’s work comes highly commended with glowing reports in the 2009 and 2010 Felt Makers Awards.
The 2009 Twisted Thread Exhibition in Harrogate featured 3 of her creations on the catwalk. More recently, she has added to her portfolio with “Swan Song,” a creation made from old vinyl LPs that shows just what can be achieved by combining flair with recycled materials. You can see it alongside the work of celebrated British designer Philip Treacy as part of the Ruffled Feathers Exhibition at Lotherton Hall near Leeds.
For someone who was described at school as being incapable of drawing and sewing, and who originally set out to become a professional photographer, it is ironic that Suzanne has emerged to become one of Britain’s newest talents in the millinery business.
