Ali
Rauf

My millinery piece is inspired by the royal tradition of Blue Willow china, and the historical transcendence of this iconic pattern which touched many cultures before gaining admiration across the Western world. As I wanted to create an entire top-to-toe look, I had to put my fashion designer hat, my accessory designer hat and millinery designer hat on! My simple concept became quite a complex undertaking by moulding the spheres using lightweight carbon fibre and steel composite, hand painting and creating feather art (with sustainably sourced Macaw feathers), and finally engineering the shapes to fit seamlessly. I designed my outfit and accessories to fit the concept I created, and give the whole look a contemporary aesthetic. Overall, my headpiece took 400 hours to complete from conception to creation. My making video will take you through the entire process.