Meet Elena Wittman | Milliner, creator of ArtofHats Millinery Studio

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elena Wittman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elena, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I lived in London, UK, for a couple of years, and was inspired by amazing millinery fashion available there. Trying hats on in stores became my favorite pastime. I was amazed (and still am) by the transformation that a headpiece makes. Once you put it on, you see yourself in such a different way. It changes your smile, your look, even your posture. It is almost like a light is turned on inside you.
I wanted to share that feeling with my friends back in US. So, I signed up for millinery classes and started attending millinery and fashion presentation as much as I could while still in UK. On return, I made my first few hats, in a year or two taught my first workshop. Since then – it is non-stop learning from great millinery masters for me, and non-stop millinery therapy for my customers.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I had been creative all my life but my career took me to a very different direction. I spent many years in finances and contracts administration. While I was always “making something”, those were small, one-off projects. Once I “met” millinery, however, I was hooked. The idea of creating something that makes women to see how beautiful they are was very appealing to me.
ArtofHats Studio was born in 2015. Just in my head first. But, step by step, little by little, the vision was taking shape. I already had base knowledge in millinery after my studies in London, so I set up to figuring more things out, trying different techniques and materials, looking for my own ways and signatures shapes. I was (and am) constantly learning from masters of millinery worldwide, through in-person and online classes.
The beauty of millinery is that there are so many ways of creating a hat, you can make a new one every day and never repeat yourself. I think that such a variety is one of the main attractions for me. My mind is overflowing with ideas, inspirations are anywhere I look.
My brand is about my customers. About those ladies that come to me saying “hats don’t look good on me” and leave with a hat they call “my new best friend”. About their husbands, sons and brothers that send me “I don’t know what you did but she looks so happy” messages. About pictures that I get after the events they attend with “people were giving me so many compliments” notes. My motto is “every woman looks good in a hat, some just don’t know it yet”.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I only been living in Georgia for a couple of years, but I came to like all the beautiful nature it has to offer. Being very outdoorsy myself, I would create an itinerary with hiking on Kennesaw Mountain, boating on Lake Allatoona and visiting Atlanta Botanical Gardens. We would stop at a tea house for the perfect Afternoon Tea. Wearing our hats, of course. After that – SCAD Atlanta and, when back home – mini millinery workshop and a photo session in hats.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To all my friends who believed in me and attended my workshops when I had no idea what I was doing. To my family who supports me. Especially to my husband who tolerates hats in every room in our house. To women support groups in Loudoun County in Virginia and Cobb County in Georgia.

Website: https://www.artofhatsstudio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofhats

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artofhats

Image Credits
Andy Wittman
Kasia Drażewska