Hip Hats

The name to look for when shopping for a hat with that special je-ne-sais-quoi is Sophie Iliffe. The Fulham-based milliner worked with Cosmo Jenks for over three years and still enjoys an ongoing relationship with the Queen Mother's milliner, Rose Cory.

She launched her own label, SophieI, 15 months ago. "My customers are often between about 23 and 35, so they like unusual head pieces and one-off creations," she explains. "But I get a lot brides'mothers too, which is nice because after all the ribbons and frippery, it's nice to actually make a hat once in a while."

Prices range from approximately GBP 50 for a scattering of butterflies around the head to GBP 300 for a handmade, hand-dyed wide-brimmed hat. Sophie also offers reversible sun hats and suede berets for the winter. "I'd like to become the Anya Hindmarch of the hat world," said Sophie, revealing that umbrellas and gloves might soon become part of her repertoire.