I had always loved watching the Horse racing fashions on TV when I was a kid and admired the ladies and their styles as it was such a far cry from my little outback home town.
My family and I moved to a cattle station in 2014 and the social highlight of the year was the local country races, they were great! A real family event where everyone attended and the ladies swapped their jeans and boots for stunning outfits and Millinery. That was it I was hooked but I had one problem "A champagne taste on a beer budget". All the hats that I loved were way over my budget, so being a crafty person (thanks to my Nana) I bought a base already made then covered it in fabric and put a sinamay swirl and a feather quill on it, made a clutch to match and voila racing ready.
I then did this for a few race meetings and managed to win some FOTF. Friends and family were asking me to make them a hat too. I desperately longed to learn the real way of making millinery so I booked my flights to Melbourne having barely left outback Qld.
A intensive summer school with master milliner Louise MacDonald and that was it I got 'the millinery bug'. Since then my small business has flourished into a great online business and posts to all over Australia and Other Countries from NZ, PNG, UK and America!
I have over the years learn from the best Milliners in the world, Waltraud Reiner, Rebecca Share, Love Lotus, Phillip Rhodes and Rose Hudson to name a few.
I have had to take a huge step back from my Millinery adventure due to Covid and unfortunately no longer creating millinery full time!
Like many artisans, Covid was a big blow! My family and I have had to gain employment elsewhere whilst also still running another family business.
There are so many people making hats these days, and so many influences, lots using the same suppliers of materials and blocks, I think you just need to have your own style, be unique and do it well and you will stand out from the rest.
I know that my Neigh-Dees appreciate my work and style and I know that they can too feel confident and unique when they wear Neigh. Renae xx
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