Cherished clients,

After the excitement of Magic Millions week, there is always a lull in the Brisbane social scene for a while, so I was pleased to participate in the Identity fashion parade media launch co-ordinated by Di Cant for the Treasury Casino and Hotel on March 4th.

MEDIA LAUNCH – TREASURY ‘IDENTITY’ PARADE

These parades feature European labels only so The Hat Box presented hats by British milliner, Stephen Jones in anticipation of his visit to Brisbane for Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones at the Qld Art gallery. Other labels included were Bally, Hugo Boss, Tiffany and Co and exclusive boutiques Samantha Ogilvie and Xile.

It was a fun evening with fabulous catering as usual and the parade was sensational. The red Valentino cocktail dress was to die for and my particular favourite. Well done, both Di and the Treasury’s Katie Goodwin whose baby this was. The parade will be shown to the public 7pm Friday 14th May. Ring the Treasury for tickets – it’s a must see!

Thank you to Ata Taefi of Taefi Photography for providing photos of the event.

Chatting with fashion designer Daniel Lightfoot

NEWMARKET RACE DAY – DALBY

Less than a fortnight later, my husband Jim and I made the three hour drive to Dalby to attend the Newmarket Race Day and judge the Fashions on the Field. Even though I am very familiar with Dalby as my son Cameron and his family live there, it was my first visit to the track. We were made very welcome by Michael Kelly, club president who escorted us to the Queensland Cotton marquee and introduced us to the friendly locals.

Watching the first race before I’m blown away.

It was a blustery day blowing hats and skirts skyward as well as drinks and cloths from tables. We enjoyed our barbecued lunch, then it was time for judging. Only problem was…nobody turned up!

Fashions on the Field entrants.

The locals really were having a great time catching up with their mates and, despite repeated calls on the public address system, they were not going to move out of the beer tent for any fashion competition. No matter, I dragged my laughing husband along and went in after them and managed to find a few winners.

Presenting Contemporary Racewear winner, Rachael Von Pein with her prize.

With Best Dressed Gentleman, Adam Allister.

Classic Racewear Fashions on the Field winner, Erica Stewart.

LUNCHEON WITH STEPHEN JONES

On Satuday 27th March, the much anticipated exhibition Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones finally opened. I hot footed it over the Victoria Bridge to see it as soon as I finished judging the children’s Easter Bonnet competition in the Queen Street Mall sponsored by Brisbane Marketing.

It was breathtaking. So many wonderful hats from all eras and by so many talented milliners, not least of all Stephen Jones himself, whose quirky and original pieces featured prominently. I was very proud of our Australian hatter as well, amongst them Peter Jago, Neil Grigg, Richard Nylon, Liza Stedman and Brisbane’s own Alexandra Harper. The Queensland Art gallery has done an excellent job in mounting this exhibition which originated at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. I was disappointed to have missed it by two weeks when I was over there for Royal Ascot last year so was thrilled to hear it was coming to Brisbane. I will be returning for a longer look soon.

So began a week of ‘hat heaven’ for milliners and hat lovers alike.

On Tuesday I was honoured to host a luncheon for Stephen Jones at the Chandelier Room at Room With Roses. He was accompanied by his partner, Craig West and Oriole Cullen, fashion curator of the Victoria and Albert Museum, who collaborated with him in the research for the exhibition as well as writing the foreward to the accompanying book. All three were delightful lunch companions warm, friendly and entertaining. I decided to show our London guests original creations from my Brisbane milliners to open the fashion parade and then, to the delight of my clients, my newly arrived Stephen Jones hats from London. Several of these quickly sold at the conclusion of the lunch.

As I knew Stephen would be subjected to press interviews and formal functions all week, lunch was kept informal and his comments on his hats and the exhibition spontaneous and relaxed. At the conclusion of the lunch, Oriole, Craig and Stephen visited the Hat Box and were most complimentary about the local milliners’ designs.They must have enjoyed themselves as Stephen later told a Sunday Mail journalist that the lunch was one of the highlights of his Brisbane visit and that I was, “One of the most extraordinary characters he’s ever met.” Gee, I hope that’s a good thing!

Esma Versace and Gillian Bail at the lunch for Stephen Jones.

The Hat Box milliners Kathy Neumann, Meredith McMaster and Ann Boyle.

Phyllis Tegg and Sandra Robson.

Ros Tilse, Lorraine Dickinson and Megan Gore-Jones.

Dale Spender and Marjorie Morton.

Dale, Melbourne milliner Richard Nylon, Fleur Cowlishaw and Ann Boyle.

The happy Hat Box milliners.

Effie Cliff, Lauren Walker and Julie Billeau.

Stephen Jones with models Karen Valentine, Reginia Goode and Fleur Cowlishaw.

Craig West and Oriole Cullen of London.

Dale shows Stephen Jones The Hat Box.

GALA OPENING OF HATS: AN ANTHOLOGY BY STEPHEN JONES

Stephen Jones fever continued the following day when milliners from all over Australia converged on the River City for the gala opening night of Hats: An Anthology at the Queensland Art Gallery. All of The hat Box milliners had been invited and we all spent considerable amounts of time planning our outfits with co-ordinating headpieces for the big night. Thank you to Patricia Balmer for making my gorgeous black feather piece with diamante brooch centre – I loved it.

You can imagine how wonderful it was to be at such a glamorous function with 300 people, all wearing hats.Even our Premier, Anna Bligh, whom I only ever seen wearing a hard hat on construction sites, was looking fetching in a Jane Stoddart number. She should wear hats more often.

It was great to catch up with so many of my colleagues from down south including Peter Jago who introduced me to his lovely mother, Christina and Jean Carroll, a true veteran of the industry. Peter will be returning to Brisbane on 3rd June to host a hats and High Tea at the Gallery sponsored by the Brisbane Racing Club. I’ve already booked my table – contact the club for tickets, it should be a fun event.

Also managed to do a bit of business while socialising and coaxed Kim Fletcher into sending me a range of felt hats for winter. Both Liza Stedman and Richard Nylon will be joining the jolly group of The Hat Box milliners in Spring. I’m looking forward to receiving their gorgeous creations in September.

Di Fitzpatrick, Neil Grigg and Dale.

Jane Stoddart, Dale and Kim Fletcher.

Ann Boyle, Richard Nylon and Patricia Balmer.

Craig West and jewellery designer Paula Kyle Walden.

THE DONCASTER AT ROYAL RANDWICK

We all needed the four days of Easter to recuperate from the excitement of ‘Stephen Jones week’, however, after a couple of weeks I felt the need for another ‘hatty’ event, so when the final day of the Autumn Racing Carnival in Sydney included a Best Hat competition, I was there.

My milliner friend Sandra Robson and I stayed in a charming little boutique hotel in Double Bay, handy to Royal Randwick. Doncaster day was a beautifully sunny warm day and we were joined by Sandra’s grand daughter Ashleigh and her boyfriend Cliff Dean who entered the Best Dressed Couple competition. Also from the Gold Coast were our friends Andrew and Effie Cliff. Effie was wearing a divine black Stephen Jones hat which she bought from The Hat Box with a hot pink bow on the side which matched her suit perfectly. She looked the epitome of style and I was thrilled for her when she was chosen runner-up in the Best Hat competition – although I do think she should have won. I entered the competition myself, just to keep my hand in, as I no longer enter in Brisbane and was pleased to be one of the four finalists.

Ran into Jane Stoddart, Neil Grigg and the lovely Angela Menz, who was attending the day with her parents. It was only my second visit to Randwick and I thoroughly enjoyed my day.

PIC 32.
Sandra Robson and I arrive at Randwick in style.

Ready for fashions on the Field.

Tammy Cunningham wears her own creation to perfection.

Sandra Robson, Effie Cliff and Dale in fashion Final.

Enjoying a champagne with Neil Grigg.

Best Dressed Couple Finalists, Ashleigh Robson and Cliff Dean

The gorgeous Effie Cliff, Runner-up in Best Hat Competition.

I am now looking forward to the Prime Minister’s Cup on the Gold Coast and the Winter Racing Carnival at Doomben and Eagle Farm and all of the accompanying social functions during May and June. I will write again chronicling these events in July.

Ciao for now

Dale