French

Millinery

The Year 9 French classes have been working on la chapellerie, the French art of millinery and had the opportunity to welcome the Australian milliner, Jennifer Wood.

After her presentation, students came to realise that millinery is a long process and requires patience, time and involves expensive materials, which explains the final cost of the average hat.

Students were interested to learn that the first step in making a hat is to use a wooden block to dampen or stain materials, and Jennifer showed them how she would do this with a piece of sinaway.

Then the second step is the crown, a wooden circle where you can wet, dry, stretches or stiffen what will become your hat.

After many other steps are taken, your hat is ready.

But the real topic of the day was le beret.

Originally, le béret was used (and still is) by shepherds to get protection from the rain and sun.

Some wear it on the right, the left, or towards the front of the head, with every side having a different meaning.

After this short introduction to millinery, the students could personalise their own béret with accessories such as pearls, feathers, charms, flowers, lace, ribbons etc.

Jennifer also showed them how to wear le béret according to their morphology.