Following on from yesterdays extravaganza, I was lucky enough to have an introduction and interview with Fiona Baverstock because I had just come from meeting an Australian millinery icon: Mr. Peter Jago
Mr.Jago to quote Janice Breece Burns from The Age, is a ‘Melbourne-esque icon: mildly eccentric, a shameless self-promoter but self-effacing with it, disarmingly sweet, highly intelligent and luckily, also very, very good at what he does.’
Having been a milliner in Melbourne for 25 years, his collection was extensive and I was thrilled and honored that he gave me his time to go through it, and give me a short interview on what he was displaying at the fair.
Peter Jago
LM: Peter can you tell me what you have on display here today, it looks quite amazing.
Peter: The hats are everything from model hats, my own vintage collection through to vintage hats from Australian millinery masters such as Thomas Harrison and Anne Austin. You may have seen the Tommy Harrison exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, he is a legend of Australian millinery.
You can see there are vintage silk flowers, taffeta ribbons, French silk flowers, turn of the century veiling- I even have a box of original Tommy Harrison flowers.
These are very, very rare.
LM: I’m blown away by the detail of your collection, who buys this kind of stuff?Peter: Collectors mainly, we have so much vintage stuff that we could fill this entire room.
LM: Tell me about these hats
Peter: What you are seeing here is true vintage and originals in that these hats would have been fitted. Women these days don’t do hat fittings, the young corporate types just want their hat- in and out. If you buy one of these today you are getting something truly original.
I keep a lot of 1940’s-1960’s hats. 1920’s are very rare as we think that many of them were recycled during WWII and made into new hats. You see hats that may be combinations of much older hats from earlier in the century, but were made in the 1940’s.
Top: Thomas Harrison box of vintage flowers. This was for sale and I’m kicking myself I didn’t buy it.
Bottom: Vintage veiling from turn of the century through to art deco.
I stumbled across this display as I leaving, and almost walked past without having a proper look. I was amazed when I got talking to the stalls owner, Ryder that I had heard his story before here, thank you to Carla from Shoes Mend Hearts for her insightful post.
I believe that this deserves a post in it’s own right, and I’ve set up an appointment with Ryder to view his grandfathers garage and collection so again and do a short interview, watch this space.
I only walked away with one pair of the most amazing, mint condition black leather stilettos in their original box, but I can assure you when I make my visit there will be more and more to showcase.
I only walked away with one pair of the most amazing, mint condition black leather stilettos in their original box, but I can assure you when I make my visit there will be more and more to showcase.
Ryder and Ash.