Lomax & Skinner
‘Silk Stetson’
Our hat draws its inspiration from a rare collection of vintage silks acquired from a retiring designer. The vibrant blend of pink, orange, and red was chosen specifically to highlight the bold silhouette of a Stetson crown, paired with a contemporary brim for a striking contrast. A one-of-a-kind vintage diamanté squiggle brooch sits proudly on the front making this piece entirely unique.
Price: £1250
“A quietly elegant design was chosen to showcase rarely seen traditional millinery techniques. A combination of hand-stitching and skilled machine work was employed throughout the construction and finishing of the hat.”
Materials and Techniques
A parasisal straw foundation has been hand-blocked, carefully stiffened, and pressed to achieve the desired shape. Vintage silk was blocked and stitched ensuring it maintained its elegant shaping whilst adhering perfectly to the structure of the hat.
Millinery Heritage
With backgrounds in fashion and art the pair met in the New Bond Street workrooms of the late Frederick Fox. Learning their trade making hats for The Queen, other members of the royal family and celebrity clients, the traditional millinery methods and meticulous attention to detail has inspired and informed their working practices.
After enjoying independent careers in millinery Sarah and Rachel came together in 2013 to create the label Lomax and Skinner. With an ethos rooted in outstanding quality and timeless appeal, the profound respect they have for the history of their trade is woven through every piece they make.
Growing up Sarah and Rachel were both very creative spending hours making things and hand sewing. Sarah has fond memories of sitting for hours watching her great aunt stitching hats, Rachel’s great grandma was a milliner and her grandma and aunt both talented seamstresses.
About Lomax & Skinner
Lomax and Skinner do more than just make exquisite hats. With a deep knowledge and understanding of their craft Sarah Lomax and Rachel Skinner design and create contemporary millinery, rich in form and shape yet thoughtful in design, their pieces supremely capturing and highlighting natural confidence.
In addition to bespoke pieces L&S undertake commissions for theatre, film and exhibitions and co-authored the book ‘Millinery, The Art of Hat Making’.
With a passion for inspiring new practitioners to the craft Sarah Lomax is a qualified further education tutor currently teaching at Morley College London, and from the Lomax & Skinner studio in East Sussex.
In May 2024 Rachel Skinner opened the doors to a retail boutique shop and showroom reviving the eponymous Rachel Skinner Millinery in the historic county town of Lewes, East Sussex.
