Oscar & Willow Millinery
‘Passiflora Incarnata’
Type of Hat: Saucer-style hat
Composition:
Hand-dyed parasisal straw in a regal purple hue, complemented by a brim extension of ethereal crinoline . Adorned with meticulously handcrafted silk passionflowers in deep mauve, cream, and green. Tubular crinoline surrounds the crown’s edge, echoing the brim, with a ring of intricate bright check purl bullion mimicking the passionflower’s corona. The positioning of the ‘climbing’ flowers enhances the hat’s dynamic asymmetry.
Inspiration:
This piece is inspired by my years as a medical herbalist, when I prescribed passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) for anxiety and insomnia. The delicate silk blooms honor this calming botanical. The fluttering crinoline brim extension evokes the tendrils of steam rising from a cup of herbal tea, capturing a moment of tranquility and ritual.
Price: £1450.
“This piece embodies heritage through both technique and personal narrative. Crafted on a wooden hat block , I used traditional methods passed down through generations of milliners.
Inspiration stems from my time as a Western Medical Herbalist. The heritage of using plants medicinally, has been passed down through generations that stretch back centuries, bridging folk knowledge with formal healthcare.
Also reflected, is my family heritage. My grandfather, with the London Missionary Society, was stationed with my grandmother—a nurse—on the Pacific island of Kiribati, where my mother was born.
Passionflowers grow on the island. Historically utilised by missionaries as a teaching tool. In the 1600s, their namesake came from interpretation of the flower’s unique structure as symbolic of the Passion of Christ —filaments representing the crown of thorns, tendrils the whips, and the five stamens the five wounds.
This hat reflects heritage craftsmanship with threads of personal lineage and cultural history interwoven—a homage to the enduring power of tradition, nature, and storytelling.””
Materials and Techniques
I hand dyed parasisal straw for the upper side of the saucer to achieve the hue of purple I envisaged, with underside in cream to echo the colours of the passionflowers.
The fluttering brim extension is created using crinoline. Tubular crinoline encircles the crown, as does gold bright check purl , usually utilised in gold work embroidery.
Every petal, sepal, leaf, stamen and ovary has been hand dyed , cut and constructed from silk, cotton velvet and wires.
The crown has been lined with purple hand dyed silk and Petersham. The head-fitting, created with wire , and then bound with cotton thread enables customisation to the wearers hair colour. A hat elastic is looped for extra security due to the weight of all those passionflowers!
Millinery Heritage
“I came to millinery later in life after spending 22 years on the wards of the NHS, first as an auxiliary nurse and then as a physician associate. Alongside this, I practiced as a Medical Herbalist for many years. Millinery began as a therapeutic hobby but quickly turned into an all-consuming passion. I’ve been fortunate to learn from some incredible milliners who generously shared their knowledge and skills, as those before them did.
The heritage craftsmanship of millinery holds great significance for me, especially in today’s world of advancing technology and machinery. Preserving traditional techniques and passing them down ensures the artistry of millinery continues to thrive. It is a connection to the past, to the skills that have been refined over centuries, and to the sense of pride in creating something by hand. This craftsmanship not only celebrates history but also allows us to create timeless, wearable works of art.”
About Oscar & Willow Millinery
Founded by Fleur Curtis, Oscar & Willow Millinery is a luxury headwear brand based in Shrewsbury, UK.
Each hat is handcrafted in her studio, blending both traditional and modern techniques, focussing on quality, diligence to detail, and individuality.
Fleur cherishes the connection made with her clients and the confidence a well-made hat can bring to them. “It’s so delightful to see someone’s demeanour, posture and confidence change when they wear a hat or headpiece that truly reflects who they are, and how they would like to feel. It’s like creating a wearable piece of magic!”
Her exquisite craftsmanship has earned prestigious accolades, including The Feltmakers Design Awards (2021, 2023) and The British Hat Guild Award (2023). She is a proud member of the Feltmakers Livery Company and The British Hat Guild.
Fleur remains inspired by learning and preserving traditional craftsmanship in the modern world.