christine waring

FASHIONED HERE opening night at the Canberra Museum and Gallery.  Exhibition running 3 September – 22 January 2012.  FASHIONED HERE unpacks the wardrobe of CMAG.  The exhibition shows the work of fashion designers, milliners and related private business that are represented in CMAG’s permanent collection, as well as selected current designers.  I was selected for the millinery collection along with Canberra’s first milliner Irmgard Lyons whose label was ‘Tracey Lord”.  Exciting!!

I was delighted when Dale Middleby Curator of the exhibition and Imrgard visited me in my studio for afternoon tea.

Rebecca Davies at Ascot this year, owner of the horse STAR WITNESS who was running at Ascot, came 2nd in the race – Kings Stand and 3rd in the race Golden Jubilee, looking fabulous in her Christine Waring hats.

I’m very busy designing some hats to go to the Ascot Races. Royal Enclosure, no less!

The beautiful Pippa Logan, the face of Christine Waring Millinery, has become Pippa Waring. She and my boy Sam were married on a beach on the South Coast in March. That’s them doing their big ‘kiss’ in the photo.

The third Hats and Gloves High Tea in aid of Malkara School was held in and around the residence of the Governor General in April. The event was run by a wonderful group of mothers supporting the Malkara School in Hughes. The school provides an early intervention and pre-school program for children with developmental delays, and a primary school program for children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.

Well done Lisa Tremopoulous and Kylie Krinas and your committee for this excellent fundraising event and for putting on a fun day in such a fabulous location! I understand that it raised $90,000! See photos of happy girls wearing their Christine Waring creations especially made for them to go with their outfits.

‘Turning Heads: millinery workshop’ by Christine Waring

Participants, drawn loosely from the friends of the ANG, created their own stunning headpieces at this one-day workshop, inspired by the shapes and textures of the Ballets Russes costumes. The photo below shows their wonderful imagination and enthusiasm.

In a once-off return to the teaching profession (to help finish off the millinery course at Canberra CIT), two nights a week I’m inspiring and passing on techniques to a great group of budding milliners.

I’d forgotten how much work is involved!

Product news:  I have just newly sourced a new range of exquisite vintage veiling and laces.

Here are a couple of recent testimonials from happy clients (I love getting them):

“Thank you so much for creating such an amazing element to our special day…Can’t wait for another reason for you to create me another masterpiece.”  Corinne 2011

“When the headpiece was delivered I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was…It is truly an heirloom piece and I look forward to wearing it again and handing it down to my daughter…” Nicoletta, Melbourne, 2011

Winner of the Millinery Award at the Myer Mad about the Hat Day at Rosehill Gardens 12.9.2010

Fashions on the Field Winner (Sarah Kelly) - Melbourne Cup Day 09

Well, I’ve been told not to be shy about it.

Yes; the accompanying photo is my friend Sarah Kelly, taken last November 3, enjoying having just been crowned winner of the 2009 Emirates Melbourne Cup, Myers Fashions-on-the-Field. Sarah came to me with the figure-hugging, grey Cue dress. She wanted to take classic 50’s glamour to the Cup. The dress drew inspiration from the premier fashion house icon of the ‘50’s – Dior – so we designed a hat that would sustain the theme.

Janice Breen Burns, Fashion Editor of the Age wrote: “The elegant 42-yo mother of three posed after her win like a classic Dior model – lean, grey pencil skirt and shapely sleeveless jacket…extravagantly wide, flat-brimmed grey hat by Christine Waring.

My website has been up and running a couple of years now and it’s been fascinating to see the interest grow and my electronic interaction with clients prove its versatility. More and more people are coming to appreciate this oh-so-convenient way of considering ideas and possibilities. Increasingly they’re interacting with me and getting exactly what they need without needing to visit my studio. Emailed messages, numerous photos back and forth and snail-mailing of fabric and thread have been shown to produce surprisingly wonderful results for people who live nowhere near me. Amazing.

Naturally I still give undivided attention to the personal needs of my devoted bespoke clients, in my studio, by appointment. And the website helps people who have bought a particular hat from me and may think about what I do a bit narrowly. Also, when I meet new people, or a client moves away… This site makes such difficulties a thing of the past.

In addition to showing a selection of bespoke race hats designed to complement clients’ ensembles for racing carnivals around the country here I’m able to display so many other things too.

For example, I’ve even been making a few stefana. For the uninitiated, they’re Greek wedding crowns… I’ve been particularly delighted to be seeing so many brides looking for unique headpiece designs for their big day. See some of them in my bridal gallery.

And: for autumn and winter there’s my range of one-off, merino/silk, nuno-felted creations – scarves, collars, necklettes, floral brooches, wraps, hats, bags – some now in boutiques in Australia’s more discriminating shopping locations.

See some in my hand-felting gallery. They’re warm and vibrant, born of the cold country of the NSW southern highlands; fashion for cooler climes, among other things, attracting attention from visitors to Australia as winter gifts evocative of our country.

So, my website allows you to conveniently keep an eye on where my creative path is leading me.

Please keep watching this space…

My site is designed by talented Canberra web-site-developer Payten Giles and features models Pippa and Isabel Logan.