Hats Have It: Jaycow Milliner

Arriving in Hong Kong a couple of weeks ago, one thing was on my mind, Jaycow.

Jaycow is one of the most respected milliners I have heard of with everyone in Australia when you mention her name, jaws drop with amazement of her work and how incredibly personable she is.

Kim Fletcher first told me of Jaycow's work earlier this year when I was thinking about heading to Royal Ascot for the races and said that Waltraud Reiner of Torb and Reiner is a good friend. When arriving in Hong Kong, I immediately text Waltraud and asked if she would mind introducing us.

In meeting Jaycow, I can understand that this is a treasure of Hong Kong and such a delight to talk to about her craft and not to mention her amazing studio that would make most green with envy. Jaycow's work is beyond compare with the ability to transform from one aesthetic to another. Using traditional tecnique and methods of millinery Jaycow will transform a piece of traditional material into a modern sculpture for the head. Her work is simply in allot of cases a work of art, but again in saying that, her adaptability to work on bespoke creations to fulfilling a clients brief for a fashion show makes her undeniable a genius of her trade. When Jaycow told me about the unique 'spike, mohawk mask', I was not surprised it was for Hong Kong's leading singer for his UK concert. Usually you can immediately tell a milliners work simply by looking at the way they manipulate their medium although I find it fascinating that Jaycow can work around so many realms differently, ie: theatrical, costume, period, high fashion and back to traditional. This is something that usually a milliner will find a place where they are concentrating their and develop a genre where Jaycow is pushing herself to constantly innovate and create on a new level. I am so glad of the introduction by Waltraud Reiner, and have been shown incredible hats with fantastic technique. I feel that Jaycow is a milliner who is fashion forward and definitely a name that is going to grow more and more internationally.

It has been such a pleasure to meet this amazing lady that not only her hats have a story to tell, but she does also. I am such a better person for getting to know this lovely lady and only hope that our paths cross again soon.