Tag Archives: Zenouska Mowatt

Royal Ascot Day 5: Wrap Up

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Additional Royals enjoying the races today included Zenouska Mowatt in a wheat coloured open weave straw waved disc (on a straw base) with black silk ribbon and gold feathers by Jane Taylor, paired beautifully with a Carolina Herrera dress


and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, again without Princess Haya.

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While no photos have been released of the second, third and fourth carriages in this morning’s parade, a view of the Queen’s carriage shows a trio of gleaming antique silk top hats on the Duke of York, the Queen’s racing manager John Warren and William Vestey, son of the former Master of the Horse.

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Before we close with the non-royal hats that caught our eyes today, I want to take this opportunity to chat a little with our guest milliner, Rafa Peinador about his Ascot experience yesterday:

Royal Hats: Rafa-one of your beautiful hats was worn at the races yesterday by Rosie Tapner. Can you tell us how this came about?

Rafa Peinador: I am currently finishing my Higher National Certificate in Millinery at KCC (Kensington and Chelsea College). For the second year running Longines has organised a millinery competition for the students. They selected a well known personality and the students had the opportunity to design and create a bespoke hat for this person to wear at Ascot. This year’s personality was model and presenter Rosie Tapner. She came to college to talk to us about herself and her preferences so that we could create something that was really personal to her. Once we had the designs and mood board she came back to give us her feed back. The next step was to make the hats and present them at the private view party for our final collection. During this event she chose the winner which happened to be me! As a winner I was invited to Longines private box in the Royal enclosure on Friday. Throughout the whole process I was lucky to have the support and precious advice of Rachel Trevor Morgan and of course all the teachers at KCC

Royal Hats: Tell us more about this special  hat. What inspired its design?

Rafa Peinador: When Rosie came to college she mentioned that she wanted something special and close to her heart. Her love for horses had to be taken into account. So the first layers of petals in the flower I created were shaped using the outline of the white mark on her  horse’s forehead. The rest of the flower is a deconstructed watch. The ribbons going up represent the straps, the base circle represents the cage, the stems represent the minutes and the hour hands. The twelve outside petals represent the dials. The pattern has been modified in order to have a total of 60 elements to represent the 60 seconds in one minute.

Royal Hats: Wow- what incredible thoughtfulness is behind the design. I think the black flowers are exquisite. What are they made of?

Rafa Peinador: I used PETG plastic, hand shaped with heat and spray painted later

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Royal Hats: Yesterday was your first time attending Royal Ascot, I believe? What are your impressions of the day?

Rafa Peinador: Yes it was my first experience and what an experience it was! First time and in the Royal Enclosure was an amazing treat. I was surrounded by top milliners that I admire and respect very much like Rachel Trevor Morgan and Edwina Ibbotson. The atmosphere was incredible and for someone who loves hats there is no better event in the world. However I was constantly checking the finish, taste and position of the hats. Once you become a Milliner you will never look at the hats in the same way!

Royal Hats: Congratulations, Rafa, and thank you so much for sharing this experience with Royal Hats!

We end this year’s Royal Ascot coverage with a handful of final non-royal hats that caught my eye on this, the last day of this year’s races:

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Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey in an ecru straw calot with flying bow by Rachel Black Millinery
Equestrienne Lauren Hough in a grey straw beret percher with yellow flowers by Rosie Olivia
Presenter Charlotte Hawkins in a black straw percher with curling bows by Edwina Ibbotsen
Presenter Rosie Tapner in a blush Rachel Trevor Morgan disc with handmade flowers

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Kate Tikhomirova  in a fuchsia Awon Golding straw button percher with yellow pouf
Valerie Stark in a fantastical white and yellow maribou pouf hat, also by Awon Golding
Kara Goodley in a Prudence for Lock & Co Pink brocade bow hat with pale green veil
Racing Journalist Liz Price in a pale pink bandeau headpiece

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Great looks from several unidentified race goers (milliners unknown as well)

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Presenter Francesca Cumani in a black percher with crin and purple flowers by Guilia Mio
Unnamed racegoer in a black mini percher pillbox with soaring rings

Nicky Malone in a stunning deep magenta Juliette Botterill floral headpiece
Cream straw hat by Bundle MacLaren with beautiful ombre blush, pink and purple feathers
Milliner Merve Bayindir in a curving pink straw hat with floral trim
Cavan Mahony in a Jane Taylor hat with pink ombre dyed pleated crin
Olivia Daisy Hills’ lace trimmed red saucer hat by Jenny Roberts
8th Sign co-owner Melissa Barton in a pink flower trimmed hat from Millinery By Mel
Mary Davin’s black curving headpiece by American milliner Aurturo Rios

My immense thanks to Rafa Pienador for joining me today, not only to share his thoughts about on this day’s royal hats, but to share in his Ascot millinery adventure. Muchas gracias por acompañarnos, Rafa!

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Order Of The Garter 2019

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Founded by Edward III in 1348, The Order of the Garter is the senior and oldest British Order of Chivalry awarded at the Sovereign’s pleasure as a personal gift. Twenty four recipients of the order, known each as a Knight or Lady,  meet each year for a grand ceremony held int St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on the Monday before Royal Ascot begins.

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Members of the Garter wear elaborate robes and accessories for the Garter Service including a special hat. The hat, in the style of a Tudor bonnet, is made of black velvet with a voluminous, unstructured crown and flat brim. It is trimmed with the order insignia, white ostrich and black heron feathers, and slim cord wrapped around the base of the crown that extends to a pair of gold and royal blue tassels hanging down the side. British royal family members belonging to the order include Queen Elizabeth, who is Sovereign of the Garter, The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of York, Earl of Wessex, Princess Royal, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. The Duke of Edinburgh, who is also a member, did not attend the service today.

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King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and King Philippe of Spain were appointed as Supernumerary Knights of the Garter during state visits to the UK in 2018 and 2017; their attendance at today’s ceremony saw them officially installed in these roles and they wore the full garter regalia.

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Queen Máxima wore a tall, verical saucer hat in dusky pink straw trimmed with a mass of silk flowers and curling pheasant feathers on the underside of the raised brim.

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It’s a great look for the Dutch Queen. I really the slightly darker shade of pink on the hat and adore how its lines and lush trimming play so well off Máxima’s sleek caped coat dress- the pairing of the two items is fantastic. I’d like, however to change two things about the hat- first is the angle of placement on the head (tilt the top edge down a bit so it sweeps slightly more diagonally that so vertical) and the second is to tidy up the brim binding edge. Tweak these two things and a great hat would become a complete knockout.

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Designer: unconfirmed. My guess is Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Claes Iversen.
Previously Worn: This hat is new. Some suggest it is a reworked version of this Prinsjesdag hat but the straw bases are different shapes and colours.

Queen Letizia wore a kokoshnik-style bandeau headpiece in formed black straw, trimmed with black feathers and veil. It’s the first headpiece in this style we’ve seen on the Spanish queen and it suits her petite frame so well (not leaving the hat looking like it’s wearing her, as unfortunately is often the case). With her black and white printed dress, the headpiece tops an elegant ensemble that’s fantastic on Letizia.

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Designer: It is the “Black Peony” design from Spanish brand Cherubina
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

The Duchess of Cornwall repeated a hat in almond straw with off-center, peaked crown and side sweeping brim. A beaded straw hatband and side twists studded with ecru silk flowers complete the design. The beaded embellishment on the hatband and side twists add a subtle but welcome bit of sparkle to the design and while the colour is quiet, the scale and style make a great signature look for Camilla.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: June 19, 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge repeated a black sinamay hat with upturned flyaway brim in windowpane lattice straw, trimmed with a curled black an ostrich feather. The brim shape on this piece gives the design a wonderfully light and airy feel and the hat was beautifully paired with Kate’s white coat dress with black trim.

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Designer: Silvia Fletcher for Lock & Co. It is the Lion Tamer design. Coat dress by Catherine Walker.
Previously Worn: July 1, 2016;  June 11, 2011

The Countess of Wessex repeated her natural straw saucer hat with lattice open woven brim  trimmed with a large coral feathers and tan twists. The hat’s shape, reminiscent of Dior hats in the 1950s, pairs so well with her full skirted ensemble. Bright coral is not an easy hue to wear and this ensemble is beautifully balanced between the vibrant skirt and the hat’s feathers.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: May 15, 2018 (it was also your favourite repeated royal hat in 2018!);  Oct 5, 2017; June 20, 2017 i

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated her slate grey straw veiled pillbox hat. It’s a quietly classic design we’ve seen on Brigitte more than a few times but one she wears well.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 18, 2018; May 19, 2018; Jun 17, 2017; Jun 1, 2017; Jul 1, 2016; Jun 12, 2016; Jun 10, 2016

Zenouska Mowatt, on the far left below, topped her blue and yellow patterned dress with a navy silk bandeau trimmed with a folded silk bow.


 

Designer: Laura Cathcart’s Arizona hatband
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

The Order of the Garter service this year brought us a wonderful parade of hats to kick off Ascot week with a fanfare. What do you think of these hats in Windsor today? Which designs stand out most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Trooping The Colour: Gloucester & Kent Families

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We conclude our look at the hats seen Saturday for Trooping the Colour with those worn by members of the Gloucester and Kent families. With extremely limited photos (my sincere thanks to Paul Ratcliffe for again, providing the only available photos of these family members) to share, I’m going to try and avoid confusion (or excessive scrolling for photos) by reducing commentary to a minimum. Please click on the following galleries twice to open up larger size photos:

Gallery 1:

 

The Duchess of Gloucester: steel blue straw veiled pillbox
Previously Worn: May 29, 2019; May 23, 2019;  May 31, 2018

Lady Rose Gilman: muted slate blue straw beret with knotted straw sash
Previously Worn:  Jun 10, 2016 Previously worn by the Duchess of Gloucester: Nov 21, 2012; Jun 2, 2012

Lyla Gilman (Lady Rose’s young daughter, far right below): pink polka dotted bandeau

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Gallery 2:

 

Princess Michael of Kent: rounded, white fabric covered pillbox
Designer: I believe it is John Boyd 
Previously Worn: May 29, 2019, June 12, 2016; June 2, 2016; June 15, 2013; June 11, 2011; June 20, 2008

Countess of St. Andrews: white braided straw hat with turned down brim, trimmed with a tan jinsin fan around the top of the crown and knotted bow below the brim 
Designer: Celine Robert. It is the “Tuxia” design from SS 2016
Previously Worn: June 11, 2016

 

Gallery 3:

 

Lady Helen Taylor: black straw beret percher with navy veil and triangle tufts of purple and royal blue crin
Previously Worn: May 18, 2019

Estella Taylor: tan fabric bow bandeau
Previously Worn: I believe this is new

Lady Frederick Windsor: pale blue sinamay dramatic sidesweep covered in feather flowers
Designer: Catherine Walker Millinery. I believe it is the “Trevi” hat.
Previously Worn: I believe this is new

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Lady Gabriella Kingston: blush sinamay hat with angled crown and sharply sideswept brim with jinsin hatband and twists
Designer: Philip Treacy. It is OC 591 from SS 2019. Coral coat dress by Claire Mischevani
Previously Worn: I believe this is new

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Flora Ogilvy: ecru straw disc percher with a multi-looped bow and silk rose on the side
Previously Worn: May 18, 2019


Zenouska Mowatt : vibrant magenta silk bandeau with folded bow (love this with her blue lace dress and aqua shoes!)
Designer: Laura Cathcart Millinery. It is the “Arizona in fuchsia“. Carolina Herrera dress.

Previously Worn: This hat is new

Trooping the Colour is always a highlight in our royal hat watching calendar and this year’s celebration, which saw 28 hats, did not disappoint. We’ve seen some stellar hats (including a handful from designers we’ve not previously seen on royal hats) which makes me all the more excited for the Garter service and Royal Ascot next week. 
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Photos from Getty and social media (thanks to Paul Ratcliffe!) as indicated

Kent Wedding at Windsor: Kent Family

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Today’s wedding at Windsor Castle of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston was clearly a family affair, with numerous members of Ella’s Kent family in attendance. Her mother, Princess Michael of Kent, topped her lilac ensemble with her repeated bumper hat covered in pearlescent light grey silk.  The hat, which until this outing appeared to be a pillbox, is dramatically trimmed with a streaming ostrich feather plume around the back.

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It’s a signature look for Marie-Christine and while I was a little surprised not to see her in a new hat today, this pale grey design coordinates well with her grey and lilac patterned jacket. And organza scarves. And multiple strands of beads. And brooch. It’s not a minimalist look, this one.

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Designer: John Boyd
Previously Worn: October 12, 2018; June 13, 2015;  Oct 18, 2014; Jun 16, 2014

Lady Frederick Windsor paired her pale blue feather trimmed coat with a cream wide brimmed saucer hat adorned in pale blue dotted tulle, silk crepe bow loops and more feathers.

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Catherine Walker, the brand that designed the hat and coat, has recently ventured into the millinery world and I think some inexperience is visible here. The execution of the bow loops is a bit lumpy and lacks crisply turned corners and there are visible ripples in the silk covering the underside of the hat. While I really like the scale of this hat on Sophie, I’d like to see feathers on either the coat or the hat- but not both.

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Designer: both hat and coat are the “Bliss” designs by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Gabriella’s aunt, Princess Alexandra wore a new straw hat in beautiful teal straw, trimmed with burnt feathers anchored at the front with a jeweled button and slim bow. The Countess of St. Andrews (daughter-in-law of the Duke and Duchess of Kent) topped her pink suit with a wide brimmed straw hat in pale blue-grey with pleated crin in the same colour folded around the hat’s brim. The design is completed with pink sinamay ribbon loosely wound around the hat that finishes in a looping bow at the front, studded with two pink quills. I wish better views of Sylvanna’s hat were visible because it looks like a beaty.

Sylvanna’s elder daughter, Lady Marina Windsor, wore a wide folded disc hat in red straw. The hat is a brave one in terms of scale and simplicity but paired well with Marina’s floral dress. We’ve talked about finishing issues from this milliner several times recently and if you look at the lumpy brim edge, they’re present again. Disappointing.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Lady Amelia Windsor topped her puple daisy printed frock with a cream buntal straw teardrop percher, trimmed with a knotted buntal flying bow. The hat has beautiful balance and movement and it’s fantastic… but I think it could do much better paired with something other than this dress.

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Designer: Philip Treacy OC 470 from SS 2018. Dress by Gül Hürgel
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Helen Taylor wore a black straw beret percher trimmed with swathed navy veil and triangle tufts of puple and royal blue crin. A sparkling crescent hatpin completed the millinery look.

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Designer: Likely Stephen Jones. Dress by Amanda Wakely
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Helen’s younger daughter, Estella Taylor, was an attendant (or assistant), helping wrangle the young bridesmaids. She wore a black and white headpiece that looks to be made of silk flowers and straw leaves. As far as youthful headpieces go, this one is great.

 

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Julia Ogilvy topped her pink, blue and green lace dress with a pink straw button percher trimmed in a mass of circular pink ruffles. It’s a lighthearted hat that tops a very pastel ensemble but it’s great fun.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 13, 2015;  June 5, 2012

Flora Ogilvy wore an ecru straw disc percher trimmed with a multi-looped bow and silk rose on the side. A great hat on its own, this piece was elevated with its pairing today with Flora’s orchid purple dress. Such a great look for her.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: 

Zenouska Mowatt paired her red lace dress with a red straw vertical saucer hat, trimmed with wide ruffles of layered red and peach crin. The scale is fantastic on her and the playful crin ruffles add such life to the hat (as do her bright yellow accessories!).

Designer: bespoke Jane Taylor. Dress by Mary Katrantzou
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The royal Kent relations can usually be counted on for some memorable millinery looks and today was no different. Which hats stand out here most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Pool, Victoria Jones and Chris Jackson via Getty; Tim Rooke/Shutterstock; Stephen Lock/i Images;Stephen Lock/i Images;

York Royal Wedding: Gloucesters and Kents

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We turn our attention now to hats worn by members of the Gloucester and Kent families. First up is a millinery disguise of sorts from the Duchess of Gloucester who repeated her much worn straw taupe blocked beret hat (with stem). The hat is a familiar one and its outing today, wrapped in a swath of red net veil (I assume, to coordinate with her suit?) is unexpected and, dare I say, a bit odd. I love millinery experiments but in this case, I think this  would have been best left in its original form.


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Designer: Peter Jones
Previously Worn: Jul 10, 2018;  Mar 9, 2017; Jun 18, 2015; Jun 15, 2015; Nov 6, 2013; Jun 19, 2013; Jun 5, 2012
Lady Helen Taylor topped her intricately embroidered frock with a blue bandeau headpiece
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Designer: unknown- likely Stephen Jones

Previously Worn: I believe this is new

Zenouska Mowatt topped her bright pink midi length dress with a dark purple felt hat trimmed with an organza ruffle in the same pink as her dress. The colour mix of this ensemble is unexpected but the more I see it, the more I really like it. It’s a brave combinations of colours and materials not usually put together and makes a bold and very brave look for Zenouska.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Michael of Kent repeated her angular, pale grey pillbox with dramatic ostrich feather plume around the back.

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Designer: John Boyd
Previously Worn: June 13, 2015;  Oct 18, 2014 ; Jun 16, 2014

Lady Frederick, whose young daughter Maud was one of the wee bridesmaids, paired her elegant aqua dress and coat with a wide, white ‘slice’ saucer hat trimmed with aqua ostrich feathers and dotted white tulle wrapped around the central crown of the hat. 


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Designer: Hat, dress and coat all by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Gabriella Windsor was a vision in blue, topping her cereulean dress with a deep peacock(or cobalt?) felt hat with off-centered, peaked crown and gently sideswept brim. The shades of blue are not ones often paired together but, like Zenouska’s ensemble, work surprisingly really well. The turquoise earrings and pale blue clutch add other blue notes to the ensemble that contrast (rather than match), making for an interesting and unexpected ensemble that Gabriella wears, brilliantly. Hers is the next British royal wedding and I can’t wait to see her bridal style.



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Designer: Philip Treacy. Dress by Claire Mischevani
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Some of my favourite royal millinery looks from today’s wedding are found within this group- do any of these hats stand out to you as well?
Photos from Getty as indicated