Cloche to You: The Hats of Slow Chapeaux

Our collection of hats have emerged as the product of becoming friends.  While some people socialize over drinks or while taking a walk, we get together to be creative and take risks.  After learning that we both had a collection of miscellaneous fabric, leather and vintage clothing, we recognized in each other a common love of textiles, a mutual pleasure in sewing, and a shared ethic of repurposing items instead of throwing them away.  Making unique hats from found and vintage fabrics has been an act of friendship and shared values.

Creating each hat is like helping someone with a personal transformation.  We touch the fabric and consider how the texture and weight might feel against the skin.  We look at the color and pattern of the fabric and imagine how they might appeal to an individual. We listen to the fabric tell us which vintage pattern or modern design might highlight its best qualities.  The most daring moment is that of cutting the fabric, while the most satisfying is hand sewing the last few stitches in the lining and applying just the right pin to embellish the hat.

We believe in slow fashion, where high-quality clothing and accessories last and are worn for years because they are carefully made and timeless in their design.  This contrasts with fast fashion where instant gratification and poor craftsmanship are the norm for today’s clothing.  It is no surprise that a whopping 85% of textiles end up in a landfill.  By repurposing the endless piles of discarded vintage and “last year’s” clothing into unique hats, we strive to put fast fashion in its place: on your head, not in the trash bin.

-- Jan Spring and Kate Kelley

On display at the Circulation Desk.

Due to health concerns during the pandemic, there will be no public receptions for the exhibits.