Kentucky Derby 2023

May 17, 2023Horse RacingJill CourtemancheComment

Our client wearing her custom “Le Profile” hattinator featured in Garden & Gun’s, “Dazzling Hats and More at Churchill Downs”, May 8, 2023 - Photographed by Nerissa Sparkman

The couple of months leading up to the Kentucky Derby is the busiest and most fun time of the year!

For me, Derby Season starts in early January when production begins on new designs and all the ideas I have had percolating in my head start to come to life. I spend time in the fall sourcing new materials and commissioning new hat blocks so I can get to work right after the holidays.

Once the samples are finished, usually around mid-March, I open the studio for custom appointments and begin traveling around the country to do Trunk Shows.

I always encourage clients to bring in the outfit(s) they plan to wear so I can help them choose the perfect style hat, match the colors and tailor the trimmings to their outfit.

The chaos is real and it is always a mad dash to get all of the hats made and shipped in time but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love working one on one with clients to create their perfect, custom hat and it’s so fun to receive pictures of clients in their finished “looks” at the track on Derby day and in the weeks following.

Connecting with so many amazing women and getting to be a small part of the fun and joyous occasions in their lives is the best part of what I do!

A few of our favorite custom hat and dress pairings, from left to right: pink and red “Le Profil” hattinator with Lela Rose dress, yellow satin “Dahlia” headband with Simkhai dress, pink and white “Canotier” hat with Lela Rose dress, purple “Contraire” saucer with floral Zimmerman dress, aqua, red and white “Le Profile” hattinator with Edeline Lee outfit, fuchsia and white “Éclat de la Lune” fascinator with Express shoe, “Garden Party Sylvie” hat wit floral Zimmerman dress, natural and red “Le Profile” hattinator with Zhivago dress.

The best part of the whole process is seeing everyone all dressed up and enjoying their day at the track!

Flavor of Fashion Podcast

March 21, 2023PressJill CourtemancheComment

I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on the Flavor of Fashion Podcast hosted by Belle Barreiro Seiden. We chatted about how I got into millinery, my time at The Fashion Institute of Technology and working in New York City. We also discussed how I started my brand and projects I have worked on over the years. A real deep dive into all the things that have brought me to where I am today! You can listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

My favorite part of the interview was reconnecting with Belle who interned for me at my Solana Beach store. We have kept in touch over the years even working together to fabricate a chic, denim cowboy hat she designed as part of her Utopian Denim line while studying at FIDM. After finalizing her materials, she came into the studio and selected the forms and base layers she wanted to use and I blocked and stitched the hat for her. You can see some photos of the finished look below as well as some process photos as the hat came together.

JCMillinery x Silviyana Bridal

November 12, 2020CollaborationsJill CourtemancheComment

One of my favorite things to do is work with like minded designers, so I was thrilled when Seychelle Wilmouth, the Founder and CEO of Silviyana Bridal reached out to me about collaborating on a line of Eco Friendly Bridal Hats.

Seychelle and her team of independent designers have created a beautiful and sustainable line of wedding dresses and accessories made primarily from pina fabric which is woven from banana and pineapple leaves mixed with silk and organic cotton. Silviyana works directly with a women’s cooperative in the Philippines to weave the eco fabrics by hand (you can read more about the process here).

All photos in the set above by Elusive Photo

When Seychelle first approached me, we discussed the inspiration behind her designs and concepts for bridal hats that were both modern and timeless. We decided to start with a capsule collection of three silhouettes: a modern pillbox, a softer floral band with delicate net veiling and a classic wide brimmed hat. All of the pieces are created from pina paired with hints of traditional millinery materials such as high quality grosgrain ribbons and veiling from France.

All photos in the set above courtesy of Silviyana

You can see the results in the editorial photos above and in the working photos from our studio below. All of these pieces are available to try on and purchase through Silviyana. They offer a unique “try at home” Bridal Box service which is a fabulous, non-pressure way to shop bridal in the comfort of your own home.

As Seen On: Baskets

September 18, 2020PressJill CourtemancheComment

One of the fun things about having our studio located in Burbank, CA is that we are adjacent to all of the major movie studios and from time to time, we have the opportunity to work with costume designers on hats for TV shows and movies.

Recently, Emmy Award winning costume designer Amanda Needham’s team reached out to us for a bridal piece for the character of Christine Baskets (played by Louie Anderson) on the FX Networks show Baskets.

Based on their specs, we put together a few options for them to choose from and they decided to go with our classic Miriam pillbox. You can see the full look in the final scene of Season 4, Episode 7 entitled “Housewarming”.

The best part is that the hat will now be a part of their wardrobe department and could show up at a later date on another show or production.