Modern Milliner Keely Hunter

by: Jennifer Eve Eisner

As she was raised by an engineer and a hairdresser, it’s no surprise that milliner Keely Hunter is captivated by unique shapes and innovative construction and design. Though her work is varied and complex, Hunter maintains a decidedly futuristic approach in transforming traditional headwear into fashion-forward works of art. Scratch that, into fashion-forward, wearable three-dimensional sculptures. As Hunter describes, “I just love working on something that’s three-dimensional, that I can hold in my hands and is ultimately something that holds its shape. A garment, although beautiful, remains flat until put onto the body, but a hat is always 3D.”

While her pieces are bespoke, and currently commission-based, which is the traditional millinery way of working, Hunter is working on a small ready to wear collection for high-end boutiques. In the meantime, check out her Autumn/Winter 2012 collection: Logans Run. Derived from the traditional turban, Hunter experiments with unexpected materials and bold fabrications to create a series of ultramodern, unconventional head pieces.