Interview with the Polish milliner lady - Sylwia Leśniewska from Wroclaw

In the modern world, the so-called "fast fashion" rules everywhere. This is when the market depends on the constant purchase of new things, used once or twice, thrown away and bought again ... and so on ad infinitum. Of course, the reason for this lies in the fact that modern things, as a rule, are of very low quality, regardless of whether they are mass market or not. This rule applies to all modern things from cars to clothes. Indeed, contemporary clothing is rarely designed to be worn or used for long periods of time. It breaks down almost immediately!

This is one of the reasons why I am in love with vintage and antique things. Quality and durability mean everything to me. I like that once upon a time things used to serve not only for decades, but also for centuries, being passed down from generation to generation.

But at this time, I want to talk about hats and millinery itself (craft of making hats). Because it often happens that there are no suitable hats for me: the right size or the desired style...

In this case, the artisans - milliners can help.

But to find a good milliner is a big challenge. There are too many who do not have sufficient skills. It is related to the fact that outside is the 21st century with its poor-quality tendencies in clothes designing and production.

Real artisans die out, the craft die out too. But I was lucky that in Poland, the globalism in clothes has not had time to fully manifest itself.

Therefore, real masters still remain in Poland. It was interesting for me to communicate with one of them, and also remotely visited the workshop and looked at the master at her work.

As I thought that it would be interesting not only for me, I decided to introduce the master to you, my dear readers. Below is my interview with the Polish milliner lady - Sylwia Leśniewska from Wroclaw, who kindly agreed to give it to my blog.

 

- Dear Pani Sylwia: Could you describe yourself as a person, as a master, and your viewpoint on the World?

 

I am a very hand-skill and creative person. I have a lot of ideas in my head that keep popping up all over again. I draw ideas from everything that surrounds me.

When I implement one project with an idea for a hat or other headgear, the next idea immediately appears. But, unfortunately, I do not often implement all of them due to lack of time. I am very happy with life and that I was given such a gift.

In general, I am a happy person, I enjoy everything around me and despite the times of adversity, I try not to complain. I see beauty in the smallest things that surround me.

  

- How and when did you get interested in millinery (making hats)? Did someone inspire you? Where and from whom did you learn it? Is it a family craft tradition passed down from generation to generation? When did you realize that being a millinery was your calling?

When I was 11, my older sister had a close girlfriend with whom they together studied millinery at school. As a girl I was also fascinated by millinery. However, at that time, I had an intention to go to a sports school, but fate changed my life and took me in a different direction. This was a difficult period in my life. I had an accident: a truck hit me. I underwent a lot of orthopedic surgeries. Having a handicap, I had to move in a wheelchair for a long time. Later, I was on crutches and had to forget about the sports school. Exactly that time I decided to become a milliner, because I believed that everything in our life is predetermined and that the event was not accidental. Now I am very happy that I became a milliner, because this profession gives me a lot of joy. I do it with real passion.

- Do you have an ideal and inspiration in the world of hats and fashion? Who is it? What fashion style is closest to you?

Of course, I have. The star of every milliner is the English king of fashion, Philip Treacy. He makes hats and various headgear for the royal family, for stars, celebrities and also for movies. He is the man who made a remarkable career in the world of millinery. My second personal ideal is Lucyna Kolbusz, a milliner champion in Wrocław. Mrs. Kolbusz has taught me everything since 1993 and I still have contact with her. Sometimes we work together. She is an extremely talented woman who has got the knowledge and skills of old craftsmen. So far, I draw knowledge and inspiration from this wonderful woman in following the old fashion styles.

 

- Do you remember the first hat you made? Do you remember your first hat made to order? What were they like?

My first hat I made under the supervision of Ms. Kolbusz in her studio. I was learning the craft there. It was a felt, velour hat in the form of a lampshade. From the beginning of my profession, hat-making has been fun for me and I have always done well. My first ordered hat was made in Ms. Kolbusz's studio for the theater.

I was 16 then. I also made hats to order for my mother. My mom is my best client. She loves wearing hats made by me. She is just my walking ad and I've made a lot for her.

 

- Many hat makers refuse to make some kinds of hats justifying that by the absence of appropriate forms for them. But as your regular customer who ordered several hats in vintage style, I noticed that there is no such problem from your side. Is it true that you can make almost any hat and the form is not a problem for you?

 

Yes, it is true that for each type of hat you need a suitable millinery form. But for a creative milliner, that's not a problem.

I don't like saying that something is impossible. Everything is possible for me. I have the greatest pleasure in creating hats when I make something unique and unrepeatable for people.

 

And the greatest reward is customer satisfaction. There is nothing more enjoyable for a master, then anyone's pleasure wearing the master’s work.

- What kind of clients have you got more: nationals or foreigners? Young or old? Why do they order hats - for everyday wear or for special occasions? Have you got male clients?

Until recently, I created hats and sold them only through the Internet. Most of my clients were foreigners from all over the world. My hats flew to the United States, England, the Netherlands, and even Japan.

Currently, I have a headwear salon in Wroclaw, the city where I live and create. Different people come to the salon, young and old, including men.

 

There are many clients with unusual head sizes, very large or very small. These people have a problem buying something on their heads. So I make custom hats for them, especially for their specific size.

 

I also have orders for different occasions. I make hats and veils for weddings, family reunions and mourning.

 

- What was the most unusual order? What was the hardest?

 

Once a man came with a very unusual large head size, 68 cm. He was a cancer patient. He wanted to order a flat cap. I had to create the whole project, the form from scratch. I didn’t have such a big hat shape to stab it, I had to do everything in the air. But it turned out very nicely, and the client was very pleased.

 

- What hat(s) do you consider to be your most successful creation(s)?

 

I think that the most spectacular are hats and sets consisting of a hat, scarf and mittens. All made from merino wool.

 

These are the most labor-intensive products; they are made as a painting with wool. It's like painting a picture, but using worsted wool and hands instead of brushes and paints.

 

Each such project is individual, unique, I am guided by my imagination.

They have many advantages: worsted wool is hypoallergenic, does not cause allergies, does not deform, and can be made in various shapes. I can say that this is a premium product.

 

- How long does it usually take to create the lightest and most complex hats?

 

The time it takes to make hats varies greatly. It all depends on the cut and the material used. A regular hat, which requires the least effort, is made in two days, because it has to dry on the form. In one day, I can make two or more hats sewn from fabrics. On the other hand, worsted wool hats are made from two days to a week, but sets even longer.

 

- I know that a theater in Wrocław has recently ordered hats from you. I understand that it is a great success for you. If possible, I'd like to learn more about this order. What other achievements can you share?

 

Yes, yes, it is a great success for me to make headgear for the Polish Theater (Teatr Polski) in Wrocław.

I made hats for the play "Midsummer Night's Dream" ("Sen Nocy Letniej") by William Shakespeare, directed by Magdalena Piekorz. The premiere will be in September.

It was an amazing experience to do something so creative and unique, almost as if taken out of another world from the light of the forest elves. A very enjoyable experience.

Personally, I already participated in a similar work, but as an anonymous collaborator: I worked for another person who got the order. This time I received for the first time the order to my company, "Salon Hats".

 

- If it is not a professional secret, I would like to hear a few words about your ongoing projects?

 

It is not a secret. I am going to create a new collection for my Hats Salon, made of worsted wool. In this case it will be something new, unique. I hope I will be able to do it fairly quickly as my previous collections took a long time. This time I will organize myself very much as I have also got various orders.

 

- What is your biggest hat dream? Make some unusual hat? Or making hats for a movie or series? Or maybe an order from some famous person?

For almost all my life, my biggest dream was to open my own hat fashion studio in my city of Wrocław. My biggest dream has just come true. Now I want my Hats Salon and milliner's atelier to become very popular. I’d like to let everyone find out that there is a place in Wroclaw where you can order any headwear, for any occasion, tailored and personalized to a specific person.

I also dream of getting new orders from theaters and famous people. However, my greatest pleasure is to see that my clients leave my Hat Salon with happiness and satisfaction.

 

- Do you have any students? How do family and relatives generally feel about your profession? Are any of them interested in making hats? Will you pass this beautiful craft on to someone in the future?

Everyone in my family is proud of my profession, but most of all my dear mother.

I always thought of a daughter to whom I could pass on my craft, but Providence gave me a son. He is already 23 years old and I try to interest him in my profession. A few times he even pulled the felt over the mold. The future will show whether he becomes more interested and follows me in this craft. The millinery is one of the oldest craft professions. Unfortunately, few people do this today. My mission is to pass on this beautiful craft to a new generation. I plan to hold master classes in hat making.

- Thank you very much for the conversation. Millinery is not ordinary work. This is an art and, I think, a gift from God. The most important thing is not to lose this gift, to keep it and pass it on to other generations, in no case following the lead of "fast fashion".

 

Photos from the working archive of Sylwia Leśniewska
Interviewed by Dannais dde Daneann