HAT TRICK

Founded in 1936, Maison Michel is a millinery brand renowned for its reﬁned hats.

Founded in 1936, Maison Michel is a millinery brand renowned for its reﬁned hats. BAZAAR talks to Creative Director Priscilla Royer about heading a veritable House that is also one of Chanel’s prestigious Metiers d’Arts.

From left: From a girly tweed baseball cap to a handsome wide-brimmed fedora, the brand has ensured that every headgear need is taken care of. Priscilla Royer checks on a design for Maison Michel

What’s your inspiration for spring/summer 2019?

It’s the idea of Atlantis; of recreating the journey as you dive into the ocean. In the ﬁrst stage, you see the reﬂection of the sun in the waves, so we have touches of light blue, grey and gold on some of the hats. The second stage is where you see the ﬁsh and coral, so that’s where we introduce more vibrant colours. And then you reach the shadowy depths, and we’ve evoked that with dark but shiny colours and materials for the hats.

Do you think women look at hats differently now, as compared to the past?

There’s a change, deﬁnitely. I think the attitude is getting more and more playful. Women love to have an allure, a style—something nice that complements a silhouette. Whether it’s being elegant but girly at the same time, they want more.

Do you design for a speciﬁc woman?

I don’t. We always have the needs of women from all walks of life in mind, and it’s a fun process. The brand isn’t about catering to a particular type of person, so in a way that makes it very interesting for me.

What is it about the hat-making craft that continues to fascinate you?

It’s the love and care that the artisans put into everything. Everything is done by hand. It’s really incredible to see it start from scratch. In a way, it’s a small piece of art that’s completed each time. And you need the experts. Otherwise, there’s no fashion, there’s no couture, there’s no style.

UNDER THE SEA

Sharks are Nature’s forces to be reckoned with, so it’s little wonder then that Paul&Shark, a brand whose history is closely tied to sailing and the sea, chose the majestic creature as its symbol. As a nod to its heritage, the brand reworked and incorporated its logo into an assemblage of athleisure-inspired ensembles for the spring/summer 2019 collection. Meanwhile, classic nautical colour schemes grounded the collection with a fresh, timeless quality.

Clockwise from left: Sweater, $860, Paul&Shark. Maritime hues make great additions to the wardrobe. Dress, $570, Paul&Shark

Denim is a democratic fashion workhorse for all ages, so it came as no surprise that Sportmax chose to make the humble fabric the star of a new capsule collection. Aptly titled “Denim Culture”, the collection is full of chic pieces that are perfect for off -duty moments: Skirts and dresses came remixed with ﬂirty ruffles and N thigh-high slits. Elsewhere, a jacket was cut close to the body, then paired with cropped trumpet sleeves for dramatic movement.

Pair Sportmax's offerings with white shirts, cropped tops or sandals to make the fabric truly stand out

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