Meet the Maker - Michaela of Michaett Hats
We are delighted to welcome Michaett, a beautiful Canberra millinery brand, to the stable at Sissa Sorella. We are proud to support creative, slow fashion brands like Michaett.
Michaela, the founder of Michaett, took a few minutes out of her day to answer a few questions for us, about her passion for hats and fashion.
A charismatic and vivacious Czech milliner, Michaela is the founder of the brand Michaett and the sole creator of its extraordinary headpieces. She opened her first atelier outside of Europe in Canberra Australia, after several years of activity in the creative district of Karlin in Prague, Czech Republic.
Michaela’s journey began in the royal European capital, thanks to learning from the renowned milliner Hana Hniličková, who returned to Prague after her career as a professor at a private millinery school in the Netherlands.
Although it is not only this passing of skills and knowledge that anticipated Michaela's promising hat design future in contemporary fashion. The independent hat creator enjoys the combination of process with fine materials, the uniqueness of colours and the precision of working by hand.
Where are you from?
I am from the Czech Republic, a small and beautiful country in the middle of Europe. Prior to making the move I had my own atelier in the creative district of Prague called Karlin where I was fortunate to collaborate with other makers and fashion designers.
When and why did you move to Australia?
Time goes by so quickly. I moved to Australia in 2018 to live with my husband in Canberra.
What do you love about canberra?
Canberra has so many things to love. I love natural beauty first. Lake Burley Griffin seems to be my centre point and I love to take walks in the morning and the afternoon and admire the beautiful natural colours, the blues, the greens. I love watching the Australian fauna and seeing how the place changes from season to season. Watching what the animals do.
What is your favourite season and why?
It is so hard to choose between seasons when there is so much beauty in the world. I love hats and for me each season brings an opportunity to think about my work and begin to imagine what new hats ladies will be wearing and what new things my label can offer. The Michaett label is something that I want to always be evolving and changing with time.
What is your inspiration in designing your collection?
It is funny to say but in many ways I find myself to be my own inspiration. I love hats and I wear the hats that I make. And so my method involves looking at what milliners from around the world are doing, but also watching and listening to people and the world around me. I want to be responsive to changing tastes but also retain the timelessness associated with making fine hats by hand using traditional techniques. Not always easy but fun and rewarding in the end.
What is your favourite material to work with and why?
I enjoy working with fur felt. This hat material is first of all very durable and strong. A good fur felt hat can last for many years or even generations if cared for correctly. In fact I have a fur felt hat that was given to me by grandmother. The material embodies many qualities that I enjoy as a designer, it displays a range of delightful colours so naturally while also offering a number of interesting variants such as velour or melusine. It is sustainable in the sense that its owner can take value from it over many occasions and over many years.
What is the most difficult material to work with?
Straw. Straw is a lovely material for summer hats but requires a tremendous amount of patience to get right. Because it is so light and flexible it also moves and shifts when I pull the material and give it shape on a hat block. I love experimenting with all material but this one sometimes requires all the patience that I have.
How long does a hat take to make?
It depends but on the client and the situation, of course. For example if a lady comes to me for a fascinator that she would like to have for a specific occasion then I will take the time to really understand her wish and also to understand the setting. I am fortunate that I have many relationships in Europe and can also source materials for unique hats. I can also work more quickly and really love being able to be responsive to my customers or come up with something for a photoshoot on short notice.
What type of woman loves a Michaett Hat?
I enjoy making hats for everyone woman. In fact my motto is a hat for every head. In the end I would like my hats to be enjoyed and for my customers to have a hat that will be with them and part of their lives for really many years.
Tell me what your most loved hat is (the one you wear the most)?
My favourite hat is my grey fedora. It is made from fur felt and includes a slightly serrated brim giving it an extra bit of character that I just love. I usually wear it with the brim up which just seems to inspire the happy and fun vibe that I adore. I love this hat so much that I have called it Zoe. Zoe and other hats are available from Sissa in store or on my website where I also offer bespoke options.
