BIOGRAPHIES
![Madame Paulette: Hollywood Hats, Parisian Style](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/Madame-Paulette-Blog_1000x650.jpg?v=1647107743)
Madame Paulette: Hollywood Hats, Parisian Style
Paulette entered the world of fashion as a millinery model then salesperson. In 1925 with no formal millinery or fashion education she opened a small salon and started selling her first handmade hats.
![Bill Cunningham the Hat Maker: William J](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/william_j_279x181.jpg?v=1647107458)
Bill Cunningham the Hat Maker: William J
William J hats were daring and imaginative. They included such outrageous designs as an octopus with tentacles wrapping around the head, a fish hat with glittering scales and a giant clam shell which the wearer’s face peeked out of like a shining pearl.
![Halston: Milliner and Superstar Designer](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/halston_279x181.jpg?v=1647107260)
Halston: Milliner and Superstar Designer
There are several famous fashion designers who began their careers as milliners. Halston, one of the first great American designers, is one of them.
![Rose Bertin: The First of the Celebrity Milliners](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/Rose-Bertin_1000x650.png?v=1647053705)
Rose Bertin: The First of the Celebrity Milliners
Although the history and use of hats goes back thousands of years for religious and protective wear, the millinery industry wasn’t established as a profession until the 18th century. The first famous milliner was the French fashion designer Marie-Jeanne Rose Bertin.
![Sally Victor: Millinery Mogul](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/sallyv_594x386.jpg?v=1647053508)
Sally Victor: Millinery Mogul
From the 1930’s to 1950’s, a hat was a required accessory, and America was a leader in designer millinery. A contemporary of both Lilly Dache and Mr. John was another prominent milliner, Sally Victor.
![Lilly Daché: Building a Millinery Empire](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/lillydache_1000x650.jpg?v=1647053118)
Lilly Daché: Building a Millinery Empire
One of the 'Big Three' New York milliners - along with John Fredericks (Mr John) and Sally Victor - Lilly Daché was a powerful fashion industry influencer, both commercially and creatively.
![Mr John: Master of Invention](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/Mr-John3_1000x650.png?v=1647109267)
Mr John: Master of Invention
In the 1940s and 50s, American hat designers were at the forefront of millinery style. One of the most famous names of the time was Mr. John.
![Coco Chanel: Hats to Haute Couture](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/coco_1000x650.jpg?v=1647052430)
Coco Chanel: Hats to Haute Couture
Several well known fashion designers, including Jeanne Lanvin, Lucile and Halston, started out as milliners. The iconic Coco Chanel also took this career path.
![Bes-Ben: The Millinery Art of Benjamin B. Green-Field](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/besben_279x181.jpg?v=1647052077)
Bes-Ben: The Millinery Art of Benjamin B. Green-Field
One of the most fun and well-known American hat designers is Benjamin B. Green-Field, AKA Bes-Ben.
![Aage Thaarup: Royal Hat Maker](http://humboldthaberdashery.com/cdn/shop/articles/download_4_197x256.jpg?v=1647051222)
Aage Thaarup: Royal Hat Maker
The first in a line of high fashion male milliners to emerge in the twentieth century.