Panama Hat

As the last fragments of summer waft past our eyes, and the school year becomes more than a far away dream, spring 2011 is on every milliner's mind. We design now for next year, as with all fashion, and fashion presentation, it is done 6 months in advance.

This past season, we all had problems with materials coming out of Ecuador. Because of earthquakes and climate changes, the toquilla palm growth wasn't up to par, and orders for panama hats got backed up. We've just heard of another earthquake in Ecuador, so we're keepingour fingers crossed for the ingenious weavers of Montecristi, and every other village there, where they make our elusive bodies for hats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRia8pZTorw&feature=player_embedded

Here's to Spring 2011!! May our market expand, and may every head in NYC be wearing a hat!

sigh. a girl can dream, can't she?

Tokyo Does Ellen Christine

We're all over Japan this Spring, with our first wholesale customer touting our wares from coast to coast, Japan-style. The very wellbred store chain: "Iena", has now added Ellen Christine Millinery to their roster of retail wares to tantalize their customer base. With 43 stores, and a great eye for collection pieces, Iena presents a Francophile outlook on young fashion in Japan. They chose a clean cut natural panama straw fedora, edged in navy blue, for their Spring cover. Inside the catalogue, one of our parasisal cloches is perched jauntily atop a headscarf. Styled, appealing, and ours!

May they sell out in one week. Wait until you see what's in the stores for Fall 2010, Japan-fans!..

For Japanese speakers, go to their website for updates , trends, and products: http://iena.jp/new_arrival/original75.html