Something has been bugging me for ages. Millinery and the arts are great, but I couldn’t just spend my life talking about hats and fashion and design & well things I’ve designed. I fell into millinery through a costume degree and a love of the craft and how hats are made… and don’t get me wrong I could spend ages ogling design instagrams and art books and figuring out hat patterns and talking about the trade and techniques.
BUT & a big massive BUT HOW DOES THIS HELP OR CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE WORLD??
Also it has always niggled at me that having an accessory brand is essentially a part of the fashion world and I have never felt completely at home there… for one, as one of the cool kids focusing on trends and what is popular is not me. I love hats and headwear, but I’m not stupid, it’s completely superficial and well it’s not going to change the world by talking about how amazing or pretty something is & by just focusing on the colour and shape of things. There are also far too many shit things going on in the world today and I want to get involved in changing them. We all have to pitch in somehow don’t we??
Then two.. there is the other side and that is that personally I have always suffered from anxiety and depression and had shitloads of self doubt problems. As a human I also am a sucker for helping other people and talking about things that we have been through. I want make a dent in improving mental health and to help other humans go through things that I have gone through.
So how do I bring all that into something that is helpful but works and that people will understand and actually practically help someone, anyone?! I have literally given this whole idea hours of thoughts trying to bring it together cohesively but also practically and well as any other stupid creative the only way to brainstorm is to do a little making and mull things over. So this afternoon it finally fucking hit me. (whilst making pom poms for hats, because they are colourful and satisfying to make & my latest new obsession) Everything I want to support and work on is essentially to do with the noggin-the head, headwear is about the head and mental health is about the head and being well & happy in yourself.
So maybe it does all go together anyway?! And that has been right in front of me the whole time? But I have been focusing on how can I say I am a hatmaker if I am focusing on a different cause? And you know what if it doesn’t go together, fuck it, it’s definitely worth investigating if it makes sense and if it does work as an idea. If I can pull off creating a fashion brand that also tackles mental health then that would be pretty fucking cool.
Product wise for those of you wondering how this is going to work if I sell hats, well without going Tracey Emin and embroidering slogans all over caps* the most obvious will be donations to charities like Mind & others that focus on mental health. If I can I would love to bring that in as a guarantee on every single sale that a set percentage will always be donated, so as customers no matter what you buy you know you are always making a contribution.
The other shock horror is there will also be some completely different products in the shop from now on. So products with an art therapy theme going on, designed as an escape out of life, but satisfying and creative. Such as foiling and cross stitch kits, all focused on dry humour but also positive proactive coping mechanisms for life. The pic at the top might give you a clue about these kind of things.. And yes there definitely will be profanities and dad jokes. I am also going to have a section completely focused on positive vibes from the geek side of the world, so star wars think star wars. Sorry not sorry. Definitely going to investigate expression through hats and headwear and how they can be used as a confidence boost too. The other thing is I am going to start talking about mental health more, so blog posts, interviews with others who have experienced mental health problems.
FOR NOW I want to test who actually is on board with this, so I am launching the sale of the first print from TODAY to see how much we can raise this weekend. 50% of any profits of this print, no matter how small will definitely be donated.
If you want to buy any headwear and make a bigger donation then please use the promo code “noggin” so we can track who is following this campaign AND half the profits of those sales will definitely be donated too.
SO if you are onboard with this idea click below to buy the “Fuck This Shit” print for £4 plus free shipping.
*(sorry Tracey as a former 90s-00s fine art kid love ya, and I still def might do this)