Milliner

A milliner is a craftsman or designer who creates, shapes, and sells hats and other headwear, typically for women. The term can also refer to shops or businesses that specialize in millinery. Milliners may produce bespoke pieces for individual clients or operate ready-to-wear lines sold in boutiques, department stores, or online. The work combines design, pattern making, fabric selection, blocking, and finishing, and often includes fittings to ensure proper fit, balance, and comfort.

Origin and history: The word dates to the 16th century and originally described merchants who imported and sold fashionable Milanese hats. Over time, the sense shifted toward artisans who make and decorate hats. Millinery has been tied to fashion and social occasions, from court dress to races and weddings. Traditional roles have included both hatmaking and hat retailing, with the craft adapting to changing materials and silhouettes.

Practice and terminology: Common items include hats, fascinators, headbands, pillboxes, and other structured headpieces. Techniques involve blocking (shaping), trimming, embroidery, feathers, flowers, veiling, and beadwork. Materials used range from straw and sinamay to felt, velvet, and fabric blends. In modern fashion, milliners may work independently or with designers, produce seasonal collections, and show at fashion events. In some contexts, milliner is used for women’s hat designers, while “hatter” or “hatmaker” may be used for traditional male craftspeople or broader hat production.