THE PICTURE HAT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXX, Issue 20166, 22 July 1935, Page 10

THE PICTURE HAT

In a far-off town of Northern China native women weavers toiled laboriously to complete a work of art, little knowing that it would grace a Royal Jubilee procession. For it was in this way that the superb picture hat, worn by the Duchess of Kent had its beginning. It was the genius of a Pari sian designer which evolved the shape and supplied the final inspiration of the sweeping ostrich feathers which encircle the brim. Tilted at a piquant angle and utterly dissimilar to the small hats that the beautiful Duchess popularised a few months ago, this creation has proved the breath-taking subject of conversation among most women ever since. Its admirers can accept it on the authority of Mr Victor Webb, that the large picture hat will be worn within the next few weeks —probably days—by every woman who cherishes a reputation for ultra-smart chic. * “My designers and I,” Mr Webb told a correspondent, “watching the procession, at once realised that the Duchess was wearing the hat of the immediate future. We breathed a sigh of relief that she had chosen a large hat. Few people will disagree that a picture hat is becoming to most types of faces, and makes its wearer look younger. Immediately we got back to the studio we had a conference, and finally came tc agreement as to the exact shade of this hat and its dimensions. It was not too easy, owing to the speed at which the carriage bearing the Du - chess passed. We were, of course, aided by newspaper photographs.” Hundreds of workers are now feverishly turning out the new “Marina” hat. The hat is made from Shantung Baku material, of pale beige colour, woven as fine as very fine linen. It is trimmed with uncurled ostrich feathers, of a slightly darker beige. “This material,” it was explained, “is woven by native women in the Northern Chinese town of Chefoo. It is a laborious task, and it occupies one woman fourteen days to complete the original hat, which Is later to be shaped in accordance with the ideas of the designer.”