Couture milliner: Heather Huey

Whenever I visit New York City, I alway pay a visit to my dear friend and fantastic Couture Milliner Heather Huey at her studio in Soho. I first met Heather about 4 years ago when I first moved to NYC, introduced by one of the photographers I met at the beginning of my 2 year stay there.

From the moment I met Heather in her small studio then I knew she was destined for greater things than making hats for orders in a few stores. Combining her background in architecture (a skilled knowledge in balance, proportion and scale), with her technical skills in using various materials tradition as well as unconventional to millinery – her work demonstrated more of an aesthetic and beauty of modern sculpture than merely headwear.

Her work and skills were so suited for all of the high end magazines that I suggested that she should get in touch with the iconic stylists of the US who I was sure would love her work. Since then most of the movers and shakers of the fashion industry including Nicola Formichetti, Patti Wilson and Alex White have all featured her work in their shoots: Heather’s pieces have featured in high end editorials such as V-Man, Italian Vogue, Numero, Interview, Vanity Fair and Hercules magazines as well as covers for W, Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. Celebrities from Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Erykah Badu and Jessie J have all worn her creations.

In spite of her great successful over the past few years with non-stop commissions and special editorial requests, Heather still at this moment make ALL of the pieces herself and is a one woman operation!!

Soon after we met Heather and I became good friends and started collaborating on various projects: as well as featuring her archive pieces in my editorial work, she also created several fantastical pieces for me for the 2 series of the American hit show “Make Me A Supermodel” for the US channel Bravo. (I am proud to say that those pieces we collaborated on are still being featured in high end editorials styled by prolific fashion editors!)

Apart from millinery, Heather has extended her skills in creating pieces worn on the body, which resulted in a series of beautiful sculptured collections such as “Asylum”, “Cages” and “Cocoon” (see below)

Currently with the trend of 70s inspired fashion popular for SS’11, a lot of Heather’s wide brimmed pieces have been in demand for editorials as well as sales.

Heather has now moved into an adjacent studio bigger than the one before and her collections are beautifully displayed on the walls like prized trophies.

Since being back in London I have missed Heather lots and I have often wished she was based in London so we could work together more, and I could definitely see her collaborating with the European designers in their collections – I am sure they will LOVE her as much as I do!

For more information on Heather Huey and her work, you can visit her website here.