Earth. What comes to mind?

1. Kenya, teeming with life, with its large mammals: Elephants, rhinos, hippos, its beautiful cats, its rich, redolent, earth. Just this year I saw baby elephants in the wild, drinking mother’s milk. I saw orphaned elephants with their caretakers, drinking baby formula. I saw prides of lions, giraffes, jackals and hyena. My original thought was to attempt to make a highly stiffened straw rhino. Alas, I am no Bridget Bailey. I rejected this idea.

2. The photo of our planet from space. Africa peaks through wispy bits of white, with watery blues and swirls of light and dark. This is the concept I stayed with, starting with a sketch of a spherical segment worn at an angle, with Africa, caramel colors, peaking through blue and white.

3. Inclusivity. Our planet revolves and evolves. It holds multitudes. Every hue, shape, age, sound, texture, scent. We breathe winds that have touched Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Fiji, the Himalayans, the Appalachians. There is no discerning where our water begins or ends. I wanted the hat to represent rich and poor, young and old …

The wireframe structure, shaped with circles and triangles, is wrapped in soft yarn. It cradles the head. Its edges can bend slightly, for a comfortable fit. The fabric incudes expensive silk and cheap tulle. The elastic is multi-colored, representative of the magic of rainbows and inclusivity.

I asked an elder to model it. The convention for millinery photography is to have a young, gorgeous model, someone who can don a telephone book and look smart. But elders make hats look beautiful too, so why not? Milliners are their own lovely breed with unique whims, instincts, and desires. The art of millinery evolves as does our Earth.

Note: Entries have been not been edited or proofread to protect the integrity of the maker's original meaning.