Philip Treacy,Stephen Jones, Misa Harada, Noel Stewart, Ian Bennett… Shirley was from an era when hats were everyday, Treacy tells Vogue.
She was a born teacher and she inspired us, all of us.
It has the illusion of dreaminess and effortlessness, but a huge amount of effort goes into it.
Shirley Hex
Seeing Shirley making a hat was so second nature.
She would do the most difficult things and make it look easy.
Its like a ballet dancer, making the dance look very natural, but her feet might be bleeding.
The Shirley Hex and Philip Treacy for John Galliano black taffeta hat for the fall 1989 show. Photo: Courtesy of Carole Denford
She started her millinery career at age 15 interning at various shops around London.
In the 1950s she honed her skills working at Madame Vernier and Edward Mann.
She started making hats because her mother loved hats, Treacy explained.
The Shirley Hex and Philip Treacy for John Galliano black taffeta hat for the fall 1989 show. Photo: Courtesy of Carole Denford
The Shirley Hex and Philip Treacy for John Galliano black taffeta hat for the fall 1989 show.
Jones remembered, I had the weekend to make a hat to show Shirley on Monday.
I didnt realize that flowers for hats were supposed to be made from silk.
She thought the plastic one was very punk and contemporary.
This is the interesting thing, Jones elaborates.
Shirley set me free.
He still hears her in his head now.
You cant be distracted and checking your mobile phone, you oughta focus.
She had so many hats to make for Dianas wedding that she was overwhelmed, Treacy recalls.
She had a breakdown and didnt work for a year.
Then she began to teach.
She would go to a different college everyday, in different parts of the country.
And she did it because she loved it, because she was a born teacher.
Treacy is even more effusive on her influence.
There are hundreds of people that make hats because of her and her infectious love of the craft.
