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Imogen’s Imagination: Milliner to a Dame

I was thrilled that Dame Sara Thornton chose Imogen’s Imagination as her milliner in advance of her investiture at Buckingham Palace. As a milliner, it’s always wonderful to be chosen by a client to create a design for their special occasion. However, to be chosen by a Dame is an even greater honour.

Dame Sara is the current UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and has had a long and illustrious career within the police service. In her current role as Commissioner Dame Sara has a UK-wide remit to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of modern slavery offences and the identification of victims.

Dame Sara received her honours from Her Majesty the Queen on 21st November 2019, and  you can more of see the official photos via the link below. You can also find them via my boards on Pinterest.

The design chosen was a black felt mini button hat, the perfect cocktail hat for an indoor autumnal occasion. The hand cut petals and stamens of the flower have been machine embroidered with lustrous art silk thread.

The petals of the flower are not wired, these glorious curves are a natural reaction between the felt and the tension of the of the stitching. The design was lined with a coordinating turquoise silk dupion.

As a former employee of both Staffordshire and South Yorkshire Police, with a combined service of 11 years, it was even more special to provide Dame Sara’s hat. It is so exciting to see such an inspirational woman smashing the glass ceiling of UK policing and now leading the fight against modern day slavery. For me, as Imogen’s Imagination in the second phase of my career, I hope I can repeat this highlight and be a milliner to a Dame again!

If you would like to chat about a bespoke design of your own, please do contact me. I have more designs in store that are a similar shape to this hat and you can browse them via the link below.

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