Inspirational Millinery - Lilly Dache

image courtesy of wiki.com

Today I wanted to share with you some more of the wonderful work created by Lilly Dache. I first came across Lilly's work a few weeks ago and included one of her pieces in my recent inspiration post. As I mentioned then I want to get to know more work from milliners of the past, so thought that there was no better place to start than getting myself better acquainted with the work of Lilly Dache.

image source moviepictures.org

" I made everything with love, affection and excitement"

This was a quote by Lilly Dache  that was used in her New York times obituary when she passed away aged 97 in 1990 and is a sentiment that I intend to take on for myself because I think that it really shines through in her work .

Aged 15 she became a millinery apprentice to a famous Paris Millinery Caroline Reboux, then after moving to New York in the 1920's  she worked at a small millinery shop before taking it over with another colleague. She built up a strong following of customers and eventually became a favorite designer for Hollywood stars such as  Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich.

original image source unknown- image found via pinterest

Always having an entrepreneurial spirit she also started producing handbags in the 1930's and introduced a range of costume jewelry in the 1950's. Then after her retirement she licensed out her name to a variety of fashion and nightwear lines.

As well as designing for her own labels she also collaborated with Hollywood costume designer Travis Barker to create hats for his on screen costume designs.

image source-metmuseum.org

What I really admire about  Dache's work is the way that the hats feel effortless for the wearer, not casual as such but that style of glamour that feels natural and not stiff or too formal in anyway, hat's like this one above also have a great sense of fun and playfulness which I think is a really important quality in millinery, I like a hat that doesn't take it's self too seriously.  The most impressive thing I feel about Dache's work is that her creations are timeless, many of her designers  would not be out of place in millinery collections of today.

image source :dirtyfabulous.blogspot.co.uk

How can any one resist Carmen Miranda in a Pompom trimmed hat, I think this has to be my favourite example of Llily Dache's work that I have come across so far, just because it feels really good fun and suit's Carmen's style really well, though I suppose it would be considered one of Carmen's more toned down looks compared to some of the wonderfully outlandish creations she is famous for wearing on screen.

I've really found Lilly Dache's work inspiring and looking at her various creations whilst researching for this post has certainly helped me get back into the flow of things with my own millinery work after the Christmas break. Hope everyone is having a great week xxx