The magically seamless shapes of blocked leather offer exquisitely smooth, sculptural hats, which also serve as elegant bases for embellishments. These traditional techniques for blocking light-weight leathers were passed down by an artist/milliner from the Balenciaga Fashion House in Paris. Combined with tips and variations Eia has developed over three decades while working with headsize allowances, using alternative under-blocking materials and creating complex blocked crowns and brims in leather.

In this 3-day workshop, 1-3 blocked leather pieces will be completed; depending on individual goals, embellishment choices and experience level. We will review couture millinery hand stitches and experiment with embellishments using trims you have brought along or purchased during class. Problem-solving and new techniques will be part of the day as we experiment in leather, feathers ribbon, horsehair, straw, veiling, etc. We’ll wrap up the course with a brainstorming session for resolving millinery issues, headaches and challenges.

The gold leather Eia Millinery Design hat at left is currently on exhibition in Basel, Switzerland, at the museum show, Mut zum Hut.

Instructor: Eia Radosvlevjic, Eia Millinery Design

Eia has been the headwear design and embellishment professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for over two decades. She received her millinery certification at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and her BFA fromTimes are 1-6pm Thursday, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). At FIT Eia studied couture millinery design with Janine Galimard of Balenciaga. Eia Millinery Design opened in New York City in 1990, and subsequently moved to Chicago. Radosavljevic lectures, teaches and exhibits internationally, most recently in Australia and Estonia.