Antoinette

Odette

United Kingdom

• Fosshape® Hat Base Project by Amy Fowler

Rich in textural detail, sumptuous and sophisticated, the Antoinette headpiece is evocative of the Rococo style of Madame de Pompadour and Marie Antoinette in 18th century France. Vibrant floral motifs in cerise emerge from the intricate criss-cross of antique gold and silver threads. Elegantly rising ostrich quills with twisted goose feathers adorn the headpiece with an air of Rococo flourish.

Traditionally, buckram is used for making the base for fabric-covered headpieces. Fosshape is an exceptionally efficient modern alternative base material. I was introduced to Fosshape® when attending Carole Maher’s illuminating thermoplastics classes during London Hat Week in October 2020. The Fosshape® Hat Base Project by Amy Fowler in HATalk serves as a timely reminder of just how versatile Fosshape® is as a hat base material.

Not only is Fosshape® used for the base of this headpiece, it is also used for making the pattern for the silk lining underneath.

Antoinette alludes to the grandeur of the past but is quintessentially modern deep down.

• Fosshape
• Brocade
• Ostrich quills with twisted goose feathers
• Silk for the lining

• The base of the headpiece is blocked using Fosshape and a steam iron
• The edge of the blocked Fosshape base is then wired
• Brocade is hand-stitched onto the base
• Ostrich quills with twisted goose feathers are hand-sewn onto the covered base
• Fosshape is also used for making the pattern of the lining: a second base is blocked; once blocked, it is cut into 3 pieces, following the contour of the shape of the block. A silk lining is then machine-sewn together using the Fosshape pattern