Suzanne Couture Millinery
M-F 10am-6pm; Sa 11am-6pm
Suzanne Newman had always been interested in fashion and design. She began sewing on her parent’s sewing machine as a child in South Africa – first teaching herself how to sew clothes for dolls, and then for herself. She began her career in London at a department store, where she stayed for ten years before moving to New York City. As a single mother, Suzanne began making hats under the tutelage of Josephine Trippoli in 1985. Two years later, she opened up her own boutique on Madison Avenue. For fifteen years, she developed her creative instincts and gained an enviable list of followers. In 2002, she moved to her current 61st Street location, bringing her regular customers with her, while simultaneously acquiring a host of new ones. With returning clients from the 80s as well as a host of younger customers, Suzanne continues to enjoy the range in hat requests that she receives.
Suzanne finds inspiration in the world around her, often looking towards magazine, theaters, museums, and fashion trends. Since the vast majority of the hats she creates are custom made, she considers the settings the hat might be worn in, personality of the client, and, of course, the client’s wishes. For bridal parties, Suzanne can very easily design head wear based on a swatch of a dress. With remarkable attention to detail, there are casual hats for simple occasions and then some extraordinary and extravagant ones for the Kentucky Derby or even England’s grand millinery event of the year, The Royal Ascot. While Suzanne especially loves “hat events” where women often want a hat that “goes all out,” she believes that a women’s head piece is important no matter the occasion. “A woman looks good in the right hat – the right hat brings out her personality and it’s a form of expression. Express your whimsy!”
Located in the back of the stunning shop is where each step of the hat-making process is completed. Inside, the workshop is piled with all sorts of materials, including a variety of fabrics, straws, and feathers. Most amazing were the hats in progress, including a fascinator in the shape and colors of a coy fish, a shiny blue Spanish-style hat, and a helmet-like pink hat that could have come right out of the 1960s. The designers are constantly on the lookout for new materials to incorporate into their designs, such as 3D printing, and they are always experimenting with new ways to prepare and recycle the materials they have on hand . Suzanne told us that she is especially pleased to have her business be in New York City, as she is often able to source her materials locally. “We have a remarkable amount to choose from, I think the best in the world.”
While chatting with some of the staff, one of the first things that they shared with us was that Suzanne has her hand in every project. If one of them is feeling creatively challenged – not sure if something is working properly – or simply looking for feedback, they turn to Suzanne. And, whenever Suzanne and her assistants go out together, they wear samples of their work. Not only do they make a statement, but it allows them to determine if they need to reinforce parts of a hat to combat the wind, or tell clients to duck low when exiting cars to spare long feathers. There is something beautiful about imagining that scene – these exquisite pieces of art being worn by the people who can best appreciate them.
