Exhibitor Insights: La Dame Au Beret

Just WOW!

So I consider myself a rather lucky girl, I love what I do and I absolutely love learning, discovering and swooning over craftsmanship. So what could be better than when we discover new exhibitors for our fairs that simply have that wow factor written all over them? Well, not a lot tops that, and there aren’t many companies (if any!) at all that offer such original, unique, show stopping pieces the way that La Dame Au Beret does.

Myriam has exhibited with us at a few of our London shows now. As you’ll see from the interview and images below, her one of a kind pieces are not only incredible but have the ability to help you create exactly what you need to make your day unique. Not forgetting she can bespoke make, her talent and understanding of her craft really does shine so brightly. I LOVED receiving and looking through these images, it feels like opening a treasure chest or that treat box you were never supposed to open alone as a child! I hope you enjoy them too, this is discovery of pure genius at its best! xo

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Photo Credit: My Boudoir

How did you get into what you do?

Imagination, dream and ‘making thing’ were a big part of my childhood. Craft and drawing were some of my favourite past times, with inventing all sorts of stories, putting on fancy dress and dancing to pop and disco music.

In the early 80s, I got into alternative subcultures, punks, new romantics, goths - whatever they were called - it was all about expressing oneself with all sorts of influences and inspirations. Dressing up and being different became an everyday thing, I was customising my clothes, mainly secondhand and retro bought at flea markets, creating my own accessories. I remember the first jewellery I made: some safety pins and paper clips necklaces and a pair of bat earrings made of cardboard, painted black! I started collecting all sorts of things (I absolutely love ‘old’ stuff), among them hats, which I rarely wore then, wrongly thinking hats were not suiting me - I didn’t have ‘une tête à chapeaux’ as we say in France.

Photo Credit: Joanna Millington Photography

After studying art and English, and despite longing for a job in design, I ended up working in admin roles for a fragrance company and an eyewear designer, in Paris. I moved to London in 2004, worked in publishing as an artworker. The recession hit in 2007 and I seriously started thinking about a change of career which would, at last, give me the opportunity to do something genuinely creative. In the late 90s and early 2000s, I used to make papier mâché masks/puppets and clay figurines, but since moving to London I was not really ‘making’ anything anymore. In 2008, I discovered the East London Craft Guerrilla who was organising craft nights in pubs, I joined in and made two ‘fascinators’ (a word I had never heard before) and really enjoyed it.

A few months later, I saw ‘Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones’ at the V&A, and realised hat-making would be perfect to combine my hobby for 3D modelling with my longstanding love of fashion, costume and antique textile. I enrolled for a millinery beginner course at Kensington & Chelsea College, took evening classes with couture milliner Edwina Ibbotson, with whom I also did some work experience. In 2012, I graduated with Distinction from Kensington & Chelsea College after attending their full-time HNC millinery course. ‘La dame au béret’ (for the non-French speaker, ‘The lady with a beret’), which had been an on-going side project for the last four years, was officially born.

Photo credit: Cinnamon Stewart Photography

What do you love about it?

I specialise in couture, bridal and theatrical millinery, I love seeing a selection of fabrics and trims turn into some wearable sculptures. I consider myself more like an artisan than a fashion designer, and I am proud of reviving a craft which had nearly died after hairdos replaced hats in the 1960s. There was a time when it was unthinkable to go out without a hat on and I’d love to see more people wearing them again - if not a hat, a small headpiece which some women may find easier to wear. Though, you should not be afraid of being noticed, as soon as you wear something on your head, all eyes will be on you. They are fascinating and finish a silhouette/outfit off by bringing class and mystery to their wearer.

Photo Credit: Magic Owen Photography

What do you like about working in the wedding industry?

Since working in the wedding industry, I have met some wonderful suppliers and collaborated on some amazing styled-shoots. I love seeing visitors at fairs with stars and sparkles in their eyes when they see my stand. Although I mainly make occasion hats, I genuinely believe my hats could also be worn every day (yes, even the most flamboyant!). I would love people to be more daring, so I started designing bridal pieces over a year ago, finding a wedding to be the perfect day to wear something very special, be it for the bride, mother of the bride/groom, bridesmaids or guests. My style is deeply influenced by the bygone eras of elegance, the 1890s up to the 1940s, my favourite period being the turn of the century. Romantic or full of drama, Bohemian with a touch of ethnicity, I am all for opulent luscious statement pieces, but can also offer sleek avant-garde designs; one-off models, which are for sale at bridal fairs, like Chosen, or made-to-order on appointment only.

Photo Credit: Clare Tam-Im

Is there a favourite wedding or moment you’ve been involved in through your work ?

In November last year, I made a floral headpiece with beaded stems for a Belgian bride living in Scotland, who was marrying a French man. She ordered a floral haircomb for her bridesmaid as well, and two other guests also wore some of my creations. An international wedding with plenty of ‘La dame au béret’ models around, I would love to have more of these, please! One of my current order is a bird cage veil for an Autumn bride, for whom I made a headdress a few year ago for her best friend’s wedding. I will also make the hat for her mother, who not only is marrying her daughter this year, but her son too.

Photo Credit: Joanna Millington Photography

All my work is entirely handcrafted, mixing antique/vintage and modern materials, if you are after something utterly unique with a hint of ‘French Parisian heritage meets British individuality and eccentricity’, something which will make you look even more beautiful and feel outstandingly special, you’ll be in good hands with ‘La dame au béret’. Oh, and I would love to cater for grooms too, so, gentlemen, don’t be shy, come and see me!

Photo Credit: Maria De Faci

http://www.ladameauberet.com/