"Hats should be fun" - Meet the talented milliner crafting funky hats for all occasions in her Ludlow studio
From fedoras to berets, sunhats to headbands, panamas to peaked caps, the right hat can add the perfect finishing touch to an outfit.
Working from her studio and workshop in Ludlow, milliner Gabrielle Service has been making bespoke and ready-to-wear pieces for both men and women for around 15 years.
“I’m passionate about making hats and welcome visitors to my studio in Corve Street to view my ready-to-wear collection,” she says.
“I am always happy to give a free consultation. Hats elevate your style and they make you feel good. Even if you just plonk a hat on to go down to the pub, it’s fun. And I think hats should be fun. My hats are all a bit funky and they are all a bit different. My aim is to make hats that people actually enjoy wearing.”
Making hats stems from Gabrielle’s childhood when she used to enjoy playing at making flower hats for her grandmother in her garden.
“I would try and select rose petals complete with earwigs and creepy crawlies so she would squeal with pretend shock.
“This delighted my six-year-old self, encouraging me to make more and more, hoping they all contained ants and beetles! Even now I occasionally add a little ladybird or bug to a beret or beanie, in her memory.”
In her workshop, Gabrielle styles felts, straws, leather and specialist fabrics by hand on different shaped wooden blocks which are pinned and shaped using steam and a lot of elbow grease.
“They are all handmade and hand-stitched, which of course is reflected in the price. Each one is carefully crafted with the client in mind which takes time to achieve.
“You stretch the felt or other materials over wooden blocks which are a specialist thing in themselves, made by blockmakers. I have a wonderful collection with many different shapes – they are my pride and joy. I have some that are over 100 years old. They are works of art in themselves,” explains Gabrielle.
“The hats are made from all different sorts of material. At this time of year, they are mainly felt, but I also like using English tweeds and silks. I try to source all of my materials, where possible, from this country, particularly silks, wools and tweeds,” she says.
