***Custom “Le Profil” hattinator for a Derby Party***

Horse racing season (also known as my favorite time of year) is moving ahead at full speed! I absolutely love to see what everyone is wearing, assist in narrowing down accessory options and create custom hats that finish off the look. Seeing faces light up when we find the perfect hat, is the best.

I just returned from Derby Trunk Shows in Louisville and Dallas and while those new pieces are in production, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of my favorite custom pieces from last year’s racing season.

My slots for custom Derby hats are filled for this year but I have lots of pieces in stock that can still be customized to match your Derby look and space available for custom creations for the Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Royal Ascot. If you are still looking for the perfect piece to top off your race look or another summer event, let’s setup a time to chat either in person or via Zoom.

Outfit combinations above from the top, L to R:

Row 1: Le Profil hattinator with Camilla dress, Flirter fascinator with Leo Lin dress, Le Melon hat with Zimmerman dress

Row 2: Sylvie hat with feathers and Carolina Herrera dress, Le Profil hattinator with Dolce & Gabbana shoe, Custom fascinator with Theory dress

Row 3: L’houpette fascinator with Chanel dress, Vivian fascinator with Zimmerman dress, La Reine fascinator with Dolce & Gabbana dress

Row 4: Canotier hat with Giambattista Valli dress, Le Melon with Alice + Olivia suit, Custom fascinator with Sandro dress

Row 5: Custom fascinator with Zara dress, Petite Mademoiselle hat with Huishan Zhang dress, Le Profil hattinator with Monique Lhuillier dress

Row 6: Gigi fascinator with Cara Cara dress, Le Profil hattinator with Dolce & Gabbana dress, Caprice fascinator with Zimmerman dress,

Of course the best part of all this are the day of texts and emails from the races themselves! Seeing everyone in their full looks, having fun with friends and family makes me so happy. Truly, you all look so fabulous and I am so grateful you trust me create these hats and fascinators for you.

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Fall Racing Inspiration

October 24, 2023Horse RacingJill CourtemancheComment

Fall Racing Season is almost here! This year the Breeders’ Cup is happening at Santa Anita Park on November 3rd and 4th and the Bing Crosby Season opens at Del Mar Racetrack on November 10th and runs through December 3rd.

Here is a little outfit inspiration for the season paired with some of our best selling hats and fascinators. Of course, custom is always an option and I would love to work with you to create a custom piece. You can reach out to us here to chat about custom options.

A fun, classic fascinator paired with a bold red lip for maximum impact:
Fascinator: Jasmeen by Jill Courtemanche Millinery
Dress: Cala Pleated Midi by Careste
Bag: Le Coeur Patent Leather Shoulder Bag by ALAÏA
Earrings: Organic Pearl Hoops by Mejuri
Lipstick: Rouge Pur Couture, The Slim Matte Lipstick by Yves Saint Laurent Beauté

Flirty and feminine in classic neutrals:
Hat: Corine by Eggcup for Jill Courtemanche Millinery
Dress: Devi Floral Plunge Mini by Zimmermann
Shoes: Roman Stud Ankle-Strap Wedge Sandals by Valentino Garavani
Bag: Moyen Alice by Clare V.
Earrings: Rose Gold Ball Hook Earrings by Tiffany & Co.

A bold pop of magenta brings this everyday look to life:
Fascinator: Soucoupe by Jill Courtemanche Millinery
Dress: Leilah Dropped-Waist Mini Dress by Cinq à Sept
Shoes: Lizzie Suede Knot Zip Sandals by Bernardo 1946
Bag: Amberley Satchel by Mulberry
Necklace: Zodiaque medal Leonis by Van Cleef & Arpels

Kentucky Derby 2023

May 17, 2023Horse RacingJill CourtemancheComment

Our client wearing her custom “Le Profile” hattinator featured in Garden & Gun’s, “Dazzling Hats and More at Churchill Downs”, May 8, 2023 - Photographed by Nerissa Sparkman

The couple of months leading up to the Kentucky Derby is the busiest and most fun time of the year!

For me, Derby Season starts in early January when production begins on new designs and all the ideas I have had percolating in my head start to come to life. I spend time in the fall sourcing new materials and commissioning new hat blocks so I can get to work right after the holidays.

Once the samples are finished, usually around mid-March, I open the studio for custom appointments and begin traveling around the country to do Trunk Shows.

I always encourage clients to bring in the outfit(s) they plan to wear so I can help them choose the perfect style hat, match the colors and tailor the trimmings to their outfit.

The chaos is real and it is always a mad dash to get all of the hats made and shipped in time but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love working one on one with clients to create their perfect, custom hat and it’s so fun to receive pictures of clients in their finished “looks” at the track on Derby day and in the weeks following.

Connecting with so many amazing women and getting to be a small part of the fun and joyous occasions in their lives is the best part of what I do!

A few of our favorite custom hat and dress pairings, from left to right: pink and red “Le Profil” hattinator with Lela Rose dress, yellow satin “Dahlia” headband with Simkhai dress, pink and white “Canotier” hat with Lela Rose dress, purple “Contraire” saucer with floral Zimmerman dress, aqua, red and white “Le Profile” hattinator with Edeline Lee outfit, fuchsia and white “Éclat de la Lune” fascinator with Express shoe, “Garden Party Sylvie” hat wit floral Zimmerman dress, natural and red “Le Profile” hattinator with Zhivago dress.

The best part of the whole process is seeing everyone all dressed up and enjoying their day at the track!

A Look Back at Kentucky Derby 2019

September 3, 2020Horse RacingJill CourtemancheComment

I thought it would be fun to revisit some of last year’s Kentucky Derby fashion as this weekend will bring the running of the rescheduled 2020 Kentucky Derby without spectators. The 2019 Derby was our busiest season ever! In addition to doing Trunk Shows around the country, we had the opportunity to outfit and an entire corporate event of 20 couples which made for a fun fashion challenge.

When it comes to choosing a Derby hat, a daring few choose their hats before the outfit but most women (and men) usually choose their outfits first and bring them when they come to choose a hat. To start, we have you try on lots of different hat silhouettes to narrow down what you like and what best suits the shape of your face. From there we choose the type of fabric, and the best colors and trim to match your outfit. This customization process is what really make our hats unique and often times results in a one-of-a-kind creation.

Here are a few dress and hat combos:

From left to right: Lela Rose dress with custom “Le Portrait” hat, White House Black market dress with custom “Nouvelle Lune” fascinator, Vineyard Vines dress with custom “Jolie Femme” hat, Eliza J dress with custom “L’evier de la Cuisine” hat, Dolce & Gabbana dress with custom “Soucoupe” fascinator, red and white printed dress with custom “Jolie Femme” hat, Chiara Boni dress with custom “Plateau Composé” hattinator, purple eyelet dress with custom “Dramatique” hattinator, Trina Turk dress with custom “Flirter” fascinator, Frank Lyman Design dress with custom “Le Melon” hat.

I really love bringing these fun pieces to life and adding the special touches that make each hat unique. The best part of Derby Season is when I get to see everyone in their looks at the track and I am very grateful that so many clients shared their pictures with me, which means I get to share them with you!