My bespoke fascinators designs are not like the “traditional” fascinators that you may see on the high street. The “classic” wedding or race day fascinator is often thought of as a frothy, feathery, fancy affair. I hope you’ll see from this archive, that does not have to be the case when it comes to bespoke fascinators!
I have played quite loose and free with my definition of fascinators for this archive. The Royal Ascot dress code for the Royal Enclosure states “a headpiece which has a solid base of 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter is acceptable as an alternative to a hat. Fascinators are not permitted.”
Using this definition, some of my bespoke fascinators would certainly be described as headpieces. Personally, I would describe others as large headbands, even statement hair accessories.
However, these designs are classified though, I hope you will see the much maligned fascinator in a new, and much more favourable, light!
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Pewter Sinamay Saucer Fascinator with Curls
This design was created for a client attending Buckingham Palace for an investiture ceremony. The client needed a design that would work with several outfit choices. The final decision about which to wear, wouldn’t be made until the weather report had been checked on the day of the ceremony!
Nautilus Ribbon Shell Headbands with Beads
This pair of headbands were made for a client in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The client wanted statement headbands that she could wear daily and that would co-ordinate with her existing wardrobe. The whole process was done online, although I would love to have been able to deliver them in person!
Ivory Crinoline Fascinator with Beading and Veil
This bridal headpiece combined a detachable birdcage veil and a beaded crinoline hair clip. This offered different looks for both the ceremony and the reception. I recommended my midi-length veil to suit the bride’s petite stature and used beads from the dress alterations for a perfect match.
Navy Blue Leather Leaf Fascinator
This headband was made for a mature bride with a winter wedding date. The headband was to be worn for the evening reception when there would be lots of dancing! I also created a complimenting veiled small hat for the ceremony. I used the same leather leaves in both designs.
Silver Grey Sinamay and Crinoline Fascinator
This Mother of the Bride fascinator was inspired by the shape of one of my ready-to-wear designs. However, it needed to be a touch smaller, and the decoration lessening so as not to class with the clients busy dress. This design was all about form with just a hint of subtle decoration.
Natural Sinamay Fascinator with Roses and Curls
This design was created for a summer wedding guest. I used fabric from her dress alterations to create the sculptural curls. As fascinators can be seen from 360 degrees, it’s always important that they are beautiful from every angle – the decoration at the back is just as important!
Navy and Ivory Rose Fascinator with Birdcage Veil
This fascinator featured an integral birdcage veil and was mounted on a hair comb. The veil may look small however it was larger than the ivory bridal veil (above). The client wanted the veil to be close fitting. The best way to achieve this is to pin it in place with bobby pins when worn.
Red and Black Silk Wired Headpiece
This headpiece was a real test of my engineering skills! The client was attending a wedding and had an idea of a design, but not the words or pictures to describe it. I interpreted her initial thoughts as a mock up in advance of her consultation, then we refined the design together.
Pink and Coral Sinamay Lily Fascinator
This Mother of the Bride fascinator was created for a client who wasn’t used to wearing any headwear. It needed to be light weight, easy to style and easy to forget she was wearing it! The dark headband was used so that it would hide in her hair and give the illusion of the flowers floating.
Green Peacock Feather Fascinator
This headpiece was created for a client who provided her own flower! I mounted the flower on a circular base with hand curled peacock sword feathers. These offered both size and height to the design. Peacock eye feathers can be considered unlucky for weddings, hence using this alternative shape.
Red Flower and Hummingbird Fascinator
Created for a client who was attending a wedding as a guest, this was designed at a distance. The entire process was online, with a few colour samples sent through the post! Red’s can be notoriously difficult to match, so a range of shades were used to prevent a clash with the client’s dress.
Pink Sinamay Wave Fascinator with Roses
This Mother of the Groom fascinator was created for a summer wedding. With roses featuring heavily in the print of the fabric of the client’s dress, this was the obvious choice for the decoration. The green sepals of the roses were left in place to compliment the dress colours.
Green Melusine Felt Headpiece
This small headpiece was created for a wedding guest who was wearing a vintage inspired dress. Mounted on a hair comb, it could be worn in a number of positions on the head. This was handy as the client still hadn’t decided which retro up-do to chose for the day.
Red Ribbon Bow Fascinator with Birdcage Veil
This classic ribbon hair comb was requested by a bride who also wanted a matching birdcage veil. This accent colour was to match the petticoat that would be worn under her 1950s style wedding dress. Both the dress and headwear were understated and elegant in design, it was all about the colour!
Black and Red Rose Fascinator
This floral headband was created for a Mother of the Bride who wasn’t used to wearing headwear. The additional veiling offers volume and fills the gaps between the flowers to create a more flowing shape – all without adding weight or looking heavy. The veiling also provided interest to the back of design.
Navy and Pink Sinamay Lily Fascinator
This headpiece for a wedding guest was inspired by a design I had made for myself. The client saw it as the studio and requested more embellishment to suit her personal style. I used goose biot feathers and Swarovski crystals to create contrast in the simple colour scheme.