Ellen Christine Millinery- NYC’s ala main couture Millinery
| Ellen Colon-Lugo, the designer behind Ellen Christine Millinery, has well over 30 years of experience designing and fabricating authentic ala main millinery for both the theatre and the couture fashion crowd. |
                
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| Ellen Colon-Lugo claims the undisputed crown for authentic époque and high fashion millinery. A doctorate candidate in costume history at New York University, Ellen reigns at her Chelsea Boutique, described by New York Magazine as evoking "Zelda Fitzgerald's closet." Ellen produces each one-of-a-kind hat to her exacting specifications, down to the opulent and historically accurate pattern-making, stitching, and materials. |
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Catering to collectors, designers, and stylists alike, and available exclusively at her Boutique and through Yiena in Japan, Ellen Christine’s mouthwatering styles fuse history, fashion, and high drama. Ellen Christine's celebrity clientele includes Beyonce Knowles, Penelope Cruz, Linda Evangelista, Demi Moore, Hilary Swank, Kate Moss, and Debbie Harry, to mention but a few. Ellen Christine Millinery has been seen on the runway in shows such as Nicole Miller, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and United Bamboo, and featured in publications such as Italian Vogue, W, Marie Claire, and the Bergdorf Goodman Fall Catalogue. Film credits include the News Boy Caps in "The Road to Perdition," which were designed and crafted by Ellen Christine. These are historically accurate flat caps that can be worn by both men and women; with a slouchy, full body made with soft fabric including leather and sporting a flat crown and a visor, they are strikingly different compared to today’s design. The venerable, timeless Top Hat evokes the grandeur of days past, yet remains a quintessential fashion statement more than 200 years after its inception. The silk “topper” has a tall, cylindrical, flat crown of varying heights. Top Hats have seen a rebirth in women’s fashion; Ellen Christine Millinery in the heart of Chelsea is the place to go for unique and painstakingly handmade Top Hats for men and women alike. |
| In 1849, London hatmakers Thomas and William Bowler created the Bowler Hat to fulfill a customer’s request to design a better-fitting, lower-crowned hat that could provide better protection while riding horseback than the Top Hat provided. |
| History has it that when the customer arrived to collect his new hat, he placed it on the floor, stomped on it twice as hard as he could, then happily paid 12 shillings for it. More commonly known as the Derby in the U.S., the Bowler was actually more popular than the Cowboy Hat and came to be known as “the hat that won the West.” The Derby is made of felt and presents a low, melon-shaped crown with a round brim that turns up at the sides. The Fedora originated as a fashion statement for women, but by the 1920’s, the Fedora had not only replaced the Derby in popularity, but had also been widely embraced by men. The classic Fedora has a shallow crown with a stingy brim and can be constructed in wool felt, fur felt, or woven straw. Another popular style of Fedora is the Homburg, which is a soft, elegant felt hat with a tapered/creased crown and a rolled brim sporting a blunt edge. The Fedora has recently enjoyed a huge resurgence in popularity, particularly among the hip fashion-conscious. |
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| Pork Pie hats, once associated with jazz, blues, and ska musicians, as well as being the subject of Charles Mingus’ saxophone elegy “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” regained popularity in 1971 when Gene Hackman’s character Popeye Doyle wore one in the “French Connection.” A fairly new design compared to others, Pork Pie hats are similar to Fedoras in that they are also made from felt or woven straw, but instead have a low crown with a flat top. There is no doubt that both men and women can rock a Pork Pie. Ellen designs fabulous Cloches out of various materials including exotic feathers. The Cloche was popular in the “Jazz Age” and is enjoying a loyal following today through Ellen Christine Millinery. |
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The darling design of the Ellen Christine Millinery is the Tricorne Hat, a three-cornered hat with an upturned wide brim not unlike the hat worn by Johnny Depp in the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean.” This hat has been recreated in a smaller version, and was seen on the Runway as recently as Spring 2010. By now, you are clamoring to get your own hat from Ellen Christine Millinery! If so, you should be apprised that because all of Ellen’s hats are so carefully and lovingly constructed for each individual, she suggests that you contact her well in advance when planning on your first (or next!) hat. The process--from initial design, to deciding on materials, to actual construction--can take anywhere from two weeks to many months, depending on the studio’s workload and where the materials are coming from. |
| Ellen Christine’s regular clientele plan the next hat as soon as this year’s event has come to a close, which means they are planning at least one year in advance. Ellen’s hats are special, so you might want to posit that because the hat is the central theme to your ensemble, you should thus choose your hat first, then look to your closet or go shopping to complete the ensemble. Brides: yes, your wedding dress is important, but so is your headpiece, so take the time to explore your options. And who better to explore them with than Ellen? Original design, gorgeous options, and completely handmade: need we say more? Your wedding day is your day, so spend it in style with an inclusive headpiece designed exclusively by Ellen Christine. |
| A hat is a statement, whether it is a wide brim woven hat with a taffeta ribbon perfect for an afternoon garden party, or a chic, mysterious turban that echoes Norman Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard.” Whatever your fancy, the statement begins with Ellen Christine Millinery. Ellen Christine Millinery available the following locations: Henri Bendel Midtown East 712 5th Ave New York, NY 10019 (212) 247-1100 Store Hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 8 pm Sun: 12 noon - 7 pm The Met Opera Shop Upper West Side Lincoln Center New York, NY 10023 (212) 501-3482 Store Hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 8 pm Sun: 12 noon - 7 pm Couture by Appointment only Ellen's Studio (212) 242-2457 **Photography by Tom Bloom |
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