During this Fall 2008 Fashion Week we captured the backstage preparations for James Coviello's fashion show. This was when we fell in love, not only with Coviello's collection but with the energy, romance, and discipline the designer brings to his work. For today's exclusive Coutorture photo shoot we shot the hats in Coviello's collection, up close and personal. It's clear by now that millinery is making a huge comeback in fashion, and who better to speak with than someone with a strong background in this craft.


Coviello, in addition to designing his own line of hats from when he first graduated from Parson's in 1987, has also designed hats for Oscar de la Renta, Anna Sui, and Calvin Klein in the past. His knowledge of millinery work is impressive and his enthusiasm, therefore, is unwavering, "Everyone should have a hat! People are afraid of color but on an accessory like a hat it doesn't have to define you or your wardrobe...The hats [for Fall 08] added to each outfit and no one once said the word 'costume.' These hats don't feel like we are trying too hard. It felt new and fresh and honestly, it was nice to take a risk"


This Fall 08 season, Coviello turned to a rich 1940's art deco inspiration. The looks were ladylike and encouraged a strong posture and confident profile. It's the kind of fashion that begs for poise, something we're sure will make for a strong consumer response come Fall deliveries. As for the hats in the collection, Coviello tells us, "It's a nod to the avant garde. [To] make a statement. It's a phantasmagoria of color, the romance of the old blocks." But the collection didn't manifest from the hats, rather it was the other way around, "They weren't prepared until we started to do previews of the collection...Every night after a regular day of work I would sit down with the hats. It was my second shift. It got to be second nature. And then slowly but surely it came together. But then its second nature as I have been doing it for so long...Making the hats [for Fall 08] was like making another whole collection. In the past we had done one style but this season the hats felt like their own collection even as they enhanced what was going on in the clothing. "


Boy, did they ever. Our photo shoot with Coviello's hats below, along with links to the Fall 08 backstage photos, fashion show, and other Coutorture editorial.

We also have impressive designer video interviews and original editorial spreads. May we cordially suggest perusing our selection? Enjoy New York Fashion Week Designer Video Interviews from Oscar De La Renta, Donna Karan for DKNY,Michael Kors, Isaac Mizrahi, Nicole Miller, Erin Fetherston, Ashleigh Verrier , Adam Lippes, James Coviello, John Varvatos , Monique Lhuillier, Joanna Mastroianni, Tory Burch, Neeam Khan

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Victor Osborne, at least in New York, is a name you recognize even if you're not sure just where to place it. Osborne is the milliner, you realize, responsible for the hats and headpieces in countless editorials you've scanned. It's possible you've tried on his creations at Intermix or Barneys. He's also, you remember hearing at a cocktail party or showroom, a mere 23 years old. Well, at least that's how it happened for us. We'd met Osborne a few weeks ago without realizing it. We'd actually been in his space, which serves as the atelier and showroom for his company (which he runs with his business partner Zachary Barnett, 24 years old), and just didn't put it all together. Perhaps it's that he's so young, or that between the barman we recognized from Hotel Delmano, the amazing artist whose work brought us to the event, and the appearance of a certain blonde supermodel, it just slipped our minds to think about, well, the designer who made the whole thing happen. We're very happy to be up on the Victor Osborne pursuit and, to accompany his creations as seen in today's original Coutorture editorial Put A Lid On It, to publish a few quick thoughts from the designer on his blossoming company.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you started out in millinery?
I had an aunt with great hats that I loved as a child. When I was at FIT I took a millinery course and realized that I was the only student under 30... by 20 years. It was kind of like a challenge.

The history of hats/headpieces/scarves/coverings is rich with cultural information. How do these complexities inform your designs?
Our line is full of historical reference, some of our best selling felt shapes are blocks scored off a retiring costume designer from the Metropolitan opera. This incorporation of the historical is entrenched in the line.

Why do you think American women stopped wearing hats as fashion accessories? Do you think this will change?
There are a lot of factors. Casual dressing has plagued America for ages for one. Big hair is another reason. The list could go on, but I am just thrilled that so many people are responding so strongly to the line.

What other milliner do you admire and why?
[Phillip] Treacy does amazing runway millinery, as does Stephen Jones. Etre had an amazing way of drawing millinery. My favorite milliner is Dài-Rees. He is a welsch milliner, who made the hats for Mcqueen for a few seasons, who also had his own line for a while. I also really admire Lilly Dache, and Schiaparelli.

What don't people know about this particular type of design?
Most people don't know that you bake straw and felt hats.

In terms of your brand, what projects or accomplishments are on the horizon?
> We are planning some great collaborative projects with really creative designers like Tim Hamilton, and the Blonds. That's always exciting. There might be a trip in the fall to a couple countries to source some new materials which would be a blast.

Winter garments in summer is a big topic in the fashion industry as of late. We are crushing on shimmer nylons and have used Fall collections as the ultimate summer wardrobes so its no surprise that we continue to find ourselves enamored with community members that take this fascination as seriously as we do. Fashion is Spinach has fallen in love with hats even in this hot humid sticky months. She really enjoys tiny caps but we must say we are in love with really all kinds of hats and have been since we had the pleasure of shooting James Coviello's fall hats. Let's all hope that this trend catches on in a big way!

We clearly love hats here on Coutorture. Thus we found ourselves getting a bit silly looking over Couture in The City's Fun in The Sun list. She has plenty of sunglasses and sandals on display but we were mostly interested in her hat choices. With the 134th Kentucky Derby to look forward to this weekend finding a few floppy hats is a perfect fashionable diversion. Apparently there isn't that much to know about picking a hat for you. We personally are leaning towards this Kokin Floppy Ribbon Hat. With a little paisley dress and some cute neutral heels it is perfect for cheering on that 30 to 1 shot pony. Don't forget to pick up a Mint Julep!

More Shoutouts

Beloved milliner Eugenia Kim was treated to a tea party by Coach yesterday for the debut of her collaboration with the brand. The darling designer apparently sent Coach some forty hats, well beyond the eight requested. We aren't big Couch fans per say but we like just about anything Eugenia does with hats. In fact we are hat crazy around here at Coutorture. Of the collection, now available in stores and online, we particularly like The Maude Hat and the namesake Eugenia Hat.