The Formé Millinery Story
Jenny was born in the small town of Kokomo, Indiana. "As a child, I remember watching my Mom make clothes for my sister and me. I remember having to stand there very still while she pinned the fabric and patterns over my body. She was so precise and paid a lot of attention to detail. Who would have known that those moments with my Mom were shaping my mind to what I do today as a Couture Milliner"
At a young age, Jenny started collecting vintage hats and began taking sewing classes from local seamstresses. In high school, she was already working with renowned Costume Designer Lindsay Ray from London, who now lived locally in their Colorado town. Lindsay taught Jenny how to think outside of the box and create one-of-a-kind masterpieces that would then be showcased in galleries and fashion shows throughout Colorado. The following four years, Jenny worked closely with Lindsay soaking in every technique and method she knew.
Jenny naturally went onto art school to study Fashion Design. Within her collections, she started to make handmade hats. In 1997, Jenny graduated with a degree in Fashion Design from the Art Institute of Colorado. While in school, she received the "Most Creative Upcoming Designer" award, and was a scholarship winner and recognized designer from Fashion Group International. During her time in Colorado, she started working with companies like, The Colorado Ballet and Ballet Arts Theatre, designing and constructing costumes for stage performances.
In 1998, she relocated to Chicago where she continued her passion designing and constructing costumes for theatre, film, commercials and private clients. Jenny's name soon spread throughout the Chicago market. Her creative abilities allowed her to work with clients such as, Cirque du Soleil, Grammy dress for Margaret Cho, Hubbard Street Dance, Outing Riley and Amistad.
While Jenny has always had a passion for designing clothing, she had an even bigger passion for hats. In 2007, Jenny created her company Formé Millinery, to showcase her art and love for hats, for women, children and men. Her goal is to bring vintage fashion to all generations. Since she had an impeccable talent for hand sewing costumes with the smallest detail, Jenny's craft for hand-sewn couture hats came naturally. Jenny spent the last couple of years studying and learning the ancient methods of hat making. Today, she creates her hats by steaming and blocking felt and straw over old wooden hat blocks as a true couture milliner. She is also known for taking once admired embellishments and materials, some dating back to the early 1900’s, and incorporating these pieces into her hats. She enjoys searching high and low at estate sales for that perfect antique buckle, bead, or vintage veiling that helps make her hats a true one-of-a-kind piece.
"My goal is to make a women feel glamorous in my hats. I want them to look into the mirror and feel transformed, almost as if they are one with the creation of the hat."
Jenny is now an award winning Couture Milliner. You can find her collections in shops around the country. She truly enjoys the art of millinery and welcomes you to her shop.