Hat's Over!

Or, to those of you who aren't into hats: The subject of hats is just : too much , too many. For lovers, creators, and wearers of hats, it's the old sign from the LoneStar in NYC: "Too Much is Never Enough". We're drooling, we're in hat heaven. We're over the top with glee and childish excitement. Much like a love-starved guy on an internet sex site, hat fans are finally having their day in the sun.

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We all have our favorites, and not-so faves, of the Hats at The Royal Wedding. Let me point out which ones Ellen Christine loved, and to underline just why.

It's page after page of hats, hats, and more hats. How to choose the pick of the litter: knock off the boring, conventional, the blase. Are you getting my drift?

Nude reigned, with washes of color a close second, in the choice of ensemble, as well as headgear for the day. Navy substitutes black in many instances, but the occasional black hat snuck into the Abbey. Phantasmagorical, oh, yes indeed. Phillip Treacy? Not to be overlooked as the Head of State in the Hat World , and seen on at least 36 heads , according to the quotes online.

We loved Lady Sophie of Wessex in her Jane Taylor nude "headband". The sweep of straw base, wrapped around a headband base, was particularly well balanced by the trim of flower and feather. Loved the monochromatic tone on tone of her ensemble. So understated, and chic.

Lady Sophie Windsor, in her navy blue, off-kilter Treacy, led the way for the larger proportioned hats of the day. Her chignon finished her look perfectly, and brought Dior, in his "New Look" phase to mind . Yes it's got it's bow, in a space-age sort of way. Yes it's a large brim, in a modern take: balanced, in an unbalanced way.

The ashes of roses worn by Princess Letizia of Spain plays a safe game. this is the hat that most women will understand. It's a simple shape , in natural straw, with again, monochromatic tones. An Edwardian color, this pink, and it's echoed in her hat. Pretty, inoffensive, and practical: she won't be bumping her hat into the Archbishop's face! And you can see over her hat, if you've been seated behind her.

Ah, Mrs. Becks: Victoria Beckham resplendant in her pregnancy. She is wearing one of her lable's trapeeze dresses, clean lines, a hair sexy. Her glow is not in her smile, it's in her hat: Phillip Treacy. They say they worked on this hat until the second beforehand. And it's such a simple little pillbox, with a jaunty trim. Masterful.

We now come to our favorite hat of the day. Yes I said favorite: Princess Beatrice. Her stylized bow has caused incendiary remarks worldwide, but hey, it works! The color, again, the nude, soft tone, and after all ,it's just a simple bow. Read my separate article about this hat all it's significance to some of us. Bea's classic heels and oh-so-elegant Valentino balances the whimsical hat that Mr. Treacy made for her.

The Earl Spencer's Kitty worked the nude vibe as well. Her fascinator, as well as her sisters' choices, very age- appropriate, but punchy enough to stand out in a crowd of benign headgear in this category. The fascinator is a piece for women who can't yet handle a large brimmed knock- the -ball- out- of -the -ball -park kind of hat. The fascinator will help a whole generation come to love and learn the hat lore ahead of them (all puns intended).

The blue you have to love. Not just because it's Malan Breton's color, (we love Malan), but the uplift color, in the USA, is always seen at a wedding. This ensemble, on Tara Palmer-Thomkinson is topped with another mind-boggling Treacy creation. Yes, it has a name, according to the bible by Joan Rivers. But we won't go there. Again, a "cocktail hat", perched, like the hats of the WWII fashions. The vertical lines work with Ms. Palmer-Thomkinson's proportions, and don't turn her into an exclamation point.

Zara Phillips had on one of Treacy's most seen stylistic hats: the wide-brimmed, flower -tucked-under-the-ear idea. Spanish in origin, worn by centuries of Sevillanas, this style has been transformed by M. Treacy into haute couture. Indeed , we have seen a version on the runway. Ms. Phillips hat color choice is black, but with the airiness of the straw that was used, it doesn't read dense.

Jacqui Ainsley is wearing the "little " hat, that does compromise between the fascinator and the brimmed hat. Poised just to the front of the forehead, with the trim at the rear, this hat would work on any age , any coloring, any hairdo.

Princess Maxima of The Netherlands has been overlooked in the fashion press, with no nod to her perfectly draped calot. Her hat is an echo of hats favored by Princess Grace of Monaco, and millions of fashionable women in the 1950's. Another version of this would be the Juliet cap, oft favored by our brides here at Ellen Christine. Draping is an art taught along side construction and drafting in design school, but needs to be executed by a very skillful hand. Madame Gres is a name most known when draping is the subject matter, but Charles James loved it in his gowns, too.

Finally, The Duchess of Kent, chose palest pink, and on a woman of her advanced style, it might not work. But just look at her: resplendant in her (again!) monochrome. This Milady hasn't lost her stylish edge, and wore a small cocktail hat, with perfectly balanced trim.

There you have it. Now can we go on to other subject matter, please??????

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the View does Ellen Christine

It's been one polluted week for hats. The Royal Wedding had every tv show scrambling for coverage, not just by their camermen, but coverage for the talking heads. Those heads needed hats, and pronto. It was like: "oops, we forgot the hats", and so a mad dash for hats happened all over town (New York City). And, as per usual, in the fashion world, it was all last minute.

One of the shows Ellen Christine Millinery covered was TheView. Barbara Walters' baby, with a revolving panel of 4, this talk show brings topics and opinions to the forefront of livingrooms in America.

For the Royal Wedding Show, the costume designer called in pieces early in the week (that's this week, for those who aren't following), to be seen by the cast, producer, whomever deigns the wardrobe worthy enough for daytime television audiences, and approved. Apparently, the ladies choose their wardrobe a scant moment before the cameras start to roll, so, not only did we not know their headsizes, but we sure didn't know what they would be wearing.

Good thing I know these ladies from years of watching them on programs. Sheri, we had actually done hats for , when her sitcom needed hats for a church episode. The best way out of this would be to send in fascinators: those little darling drops of joy that perch on the head and cause everyone to giggle. Couldn't go wrong with a fascinator, so off they went: a goodly selection.

When they walked out on stage we got our surprise: Goldi Hawn was the guest host today! And she was wearing a black "Kitchen Sink" I had whipped up that morning. It's ditsy enough for her, but chic. They chose the one I had put in the box just perfect for Elizabeth: a peach horsehair "choux", that had just been featured on "The Aisle". There's another version of this little hat in the "Henri Bendel by Ellen Christine" collection, too. If there are any left.

See The View, our episode, here in it's entirety:

http://abc.go.com/watch/the-view/SH559080/VD55124459/the-view-429

Ellen Christine Walks down The Aisle

Ellen Christine joins the ranks of fashion favorites on The Aisle. The trend-making designer leads the millinery field with landmark editorials in Vogue, W Magazine, Elegant Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings. Currently seen on David Tutera’s “My Fair Wedding”, Ellen Christine concocts headpieces for couture runway shows, and private collections for well-known retail venues around the world.

The collaboration with The Aisle stems from her reputation in the world of fashion. David Yassky , co-founder and co-president of The Aisle knows Ellen Christine from his time at WWD. This is to be an accessible collection, using the familiar elements so recognizable in Ellen Christine Millinery. Artful draping, precious handmade flowers, and fanciful featherwork lend an old Hollywood feel to this group. Inspired by contemporary bridal wear, but rooted in the glamour of red carpet close-ups, this collection will add to the look and the feel of brides around the world.

For the thousands of eager members of The Aisle, the sale begins on April 19^th. Coming just before Easter, and the imminent Royal Wedding, these headpieces will lend the perfect note to the hat mad, in this season of hat frenzy. Ellen Christine has never before offered headpieces in the wholesale Wedding market, and The Aisle is the perfect venue . There are eight custom designed pieces, offered no where else. And there’s only one week to shop!

www.theaislenewyork.com

Roberto Alagna on Facebook

Sounds silly, right? Isn't everybody on FB? Not at all:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Roberto-Alagna-The-Passion-official-FB-page/134460906620631

is the official , official, by his sister, his personal press corps, page. The fans, the groupies, the admirers of RA have been waiting for this for a long, long time. Grousing, complaining, wheedling, hoping. And now we have him. All to ourselves, on Facebook. Marinella has put up exclusive shots from his recent productions. Those of you who don't know Roberto Alagna are in for a treat. The golden boy of the lyrique stage who has changed the face and the attitude of opera forever is a superior talent not to be missed. Fans and followers know and love the inflection of his voice, the precise tonality, and the eloquent phraseology. For those of you out there who don't follow opera: come on board. It's not long-hair anymore, exclusive to the rich and richer. The opera world is enlarging it's popular appeal, by including contemporary facelifts to the classics. Architects are among those now designing sets at The Met. Prada, the fashion house of Miuccia, is designing costumes. Peter Gelb is taking his Met by the horns and mounting an entire new "Ring". Come and see! And hear. Wherever you are in the world, go hear an opera, and bathe in the exquisite music that is ours to own and enjoy.

Roberto Alagna has added a scintilla of rockstar to the opera world. He's the face and the voice the world wants most to see and hear. RA has led an entire corps of actor/singer onto the lyrique stage, and opera will thank him for it for generations to come. No more a "stand-and-deliver" operatic performance, geared to the audience of yore; opera is now raw drama, burning passion, glorious joy. The actor/singer of today , with Roberto Alagna at the avant-garde of these new performers, give us a different point of view. Opera is changing, and those of us who have always loved music, are deeply greatful . Even if we are led, kicking and screaming into the future.

Inspiration of The Met Collection: The Divas

One of the most frequently asked questions of a designer is: where do you get your ideas? Most of the people asking are not artistes, but appreciate and marvel at the things designers do.

Part of "The Met Opera Collection: The Divas", that we did for The Met Opera Shop came from the intense performances on that huge, vast, and impressive stage. The voices that we are privileged to hear interpret roles after role each season, as Mr. Gelb forges a new world of opera lend themselves to dramatic inspiration. The new production of "Carmen", with Roberto Alagna, quintessential Don Jose , and the best Carmen in the opera world, Elina Garanca, influenced the design of the Ellen Christine fascinator in blood red, and black. The headpieces drip in the way the gown in the death scene falls from Carmen's body as she lay dying.

Armida, all pinks and poppy red, gave us the idea for the bandeaux we made for the collection: petals, floating with sprigs of ostrich, sit lightly on the head, as lightly as the spells of the sorceress, as sung by the fabulous Renee Fleming.

The crown of the collection, made just for the launch party, is the "Armida". It's a huge picture hat, covered in more than 300 silk blossoms. The flowers are made by Schmalberg here in NYC, who also did the flowers for the set of Armida. We used the same petal formation, and the same shades of pink and red from the costume and set design, for this hat. The surprise is that it was inspired by a photo that Solange Van de Vyvre, from Belgium, shared with us . The Floralies, a world famous event in her home town of Ghent, takes place every 5 years or so. The installations at this show are made completely with plant materials and flowers. Our Armida hat was inspired by a gorgeous shot that Solange sent us.

Inspiration is all around us: see the magic, and art.

Photograph : Sandy Ramirez

Ellen Christine at the Met

The Metropolitan Opera Shop invited us to do our launch of the new collection there yesterday, St. Valentine's Day, for Fashion Week Fall 2011. Because the inspiration of the show revolves around the Met's current productions of Carmen, and Armida, the setting was appropriate. Breathtaking, the Shop sits ensconced just beyond the ticket windows, a glowing draw for the opera lovers of the world. Lit by original fixtures designed for the Met's opening , the inviting space pours out into the foyer, and celebrates the art form with pieces that allow the public to participate in their favorites through music, books, and now, fashion.

Ellen Christine , and The Diva Collection, designed in collaboration with the Met Opera Shop geniuses, will be in residence, affording headpieces that lend a romantic note to every head. Rich reds, taken from the heartbeat of Carmen, dance in a flowered accessory that sparkles with the light of Alagna's "La fleur que tu m'avais jetee". The tonal pinks of Fleming's Armida ride on a bandeaux of silk petals. The Diva herself, the centerpiece of the collection, is scattered with pieces of broken Swarovski crystal, capturing the magic of the Met's Austrian chandeliers.

Be part of this exciting Met Opera Collection: feathers, flowers and light to draw you in and fascinate.

Exclusively for The Metropolitan Opera Shop, Ellen Christine Diva Collection, for Fall 2011, available now, and by special order in the Shop at Lincoln Center.

photo: Sandy Ramirez

Opera, Not Hats

Where may the hats have gone to, you may say.........for me, Ellen Christine, it's all tied into design theory. Like music theory. Like dance theory. Like art theory.

The Metropolitan Opera gives us grandiosity, and thus, inspiration. And for the production of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, it was all old school. The sets: involved. The costumes: lush. The singing: grandiloquent. And the conducting, ah, the conducting!!!!!superb. It was opera 101 for some, and an indulgence for others, with the sets leaning more towards opulence than modernisme. The velvet, the brocades, the fur, the armor.......ah, what a delight for the costume freak in all of us. Lame done as armour. Armour done as armour. Lord, I love a guy in a skirt. Help me, but I do. When that guy is Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and it's a full-length coat/dress/robe......heaven. Somehow a Russian draped in fur, singing his heart out, is a natural. That's because Dmitri makes it all seem so easy. Except for the first act, when he appeared in a blonde/brown wig, his stage presence is nothing short of noblesse oblige. Not an actor, but a remarkable baritone, he sang the role in an emotive, languid spellbinding manner. No, his enunciation isn't Alagna-esque, but that voice of his carries, and moves the soul of a non-believer.

The berry -reds in the wardrobe echoed the tones of Simon's predicament, and the lamentable situation unfurling in the cold palace. Warm shades of red to match the redolent voices. Furlanetto is deep, rich brocade, if he is a fabric. Maestro Levine carried the orchestra as if the music flowed from his very hands.

The set felt like a Maxfield Parrish print come to life: soft, deep lighting, ably set the stage for those voices, those costumes, that music.

We fell in love with Furlanetto in Don Carlo, and can only weep at his vocal ability. Every duet sung perfectly. The casting included Barbara Frittoli and Ramon Vargas. Whenever any of the cast sang together, it was magic: voices melded and supporting each other. My only problems with some of the singing was in Frittoli's high reaches. Vargas played a noble part, and he wears the armour well. His stage presence lacks the magic of some Met performers, but he holds his own, and stands true as a tenor.

Act II gained applause at the set, and Frittoli reigned supreme in her trill in court. The second act filled in the holes, and provided distance , and gained momentum in the singing. the Met delivers once again!