In Conversation with hat designer Lorna Murray

Reading time: 5 min

Growing up in Perth, one of the world’s sunniest cities required hat designer Lorna Murray to develop a degree of resourcefulness in order to cool down and escape the endless sunshine of the summer months. During her university days as an art school student Lorna used to experiment with making hats and other adornments to deal with the extremities of a hot climate. Early on and to this day Lorna’s inspiration is a balance between traditional and contemporary approaches to design from both east and western cultures. One of Lorna’s biggest loves is the translation of traditional textiles to a contemporary context. It’s the unlimited and exciting potential of two dimensional materials moulded into sculptural hat forms that fuels Lorna’s modern and authentic creativity.

Recently Lorna’s wonderful natural fibre foldable Capri hats were the ‘cherry on top’ of the Pero AW/FW20 collections seen on the runway at Pitti Bimbo 89. We talk with designer Lorna Murray about how the collaboration came about, her creativity and the hats she wears.

 

How did the collaboration happen? It was complete serendipity. Adele Gandola of Pero contacted me after seeing my Capri hats on Instagram. A lovely creative conversation about a collaboration began from there. I have adored the Pero collections over the years so of course when I received an invitation to create the headwear for Pero’s little models I was thrilled!

Who & what inspires you? Eclectic busy environments and global foraging and treasure hunting inspires me. Raw materials and environments with a rich craft based and textile history inspire me. I am definitely a bowerbird and my global travels inspire my imagination and creative practice. I tend to experience the world through a creative lens and this allows me to gain inspiration from everyday life. I am also really inspired by people who want to become good at something and who spend years and years perfecting their craft and being innovative.

Do you wear a hat everyday? Yes I love to wear a hat as often as I can! Primarily to protect my skin from too much sunshine but even in winter I love to have my warm cosy cloche hats and fedoras at the ready. I think hats often make an outfit look complete and then double as fabulous decor accessories at home. I love seeing a collection of natural fibre hats hanging from a wall.

People sometimes say that “hats don’t suit” them. Is there a hat for everyone? Yes absolutely, It’s just a matter of finding your sense of style, just as we do with our choice of jeans our shoes or our handbags. We develop a sense of style and move in that direction and my advice would be that’s it’s about finding a hat which makes you feel great! It could be a sun visor, a wide brim straw hat, one of my natural fibre foldable Capri’s or a little linen fabric hat or woollen beret. The styles and colours are endless. Hats can absolutely be flattering on anyone. You may want to take into account your personal head and face shape. More oval face shapes can look great in wide-brimmed hats as they bring attention outwards. A shorter or smaller face looks great in a shorter brim, a beanie or beret without overwhelming ones features.

Do you keep a diary? Oh yes, I love visual diaries, I keep several going at the same time. Small ones that slide into my handbag, good sized ones with quality paper I can paint in, one beside my bed, another in the car and often my notepads become visual diaries filled with quick scribbles, fabric swatches and notes. It’s sometimes a conundrum working out which one carries particular little sketch, address or note. I also keep a couple of round baskets which I fill with photos, sketches, random notes, observations, cuttings, collages, weave experiments….

Do you procrastinate? Yes I definitely enjoy a dose of procrastination when I have the time and I definitely use it to my benefit. I find some of my best ideas and creative thinking and solving happens during down time. I love daydreaming and taking time out to rest. I see ‘procrastination’ as a really useful tool for brewing thinking and creative problem solving. I find that lots of my peers who are creative professionals also retreat to down time when they are working to resolve a creative project. I definitely find I can be more productive if I have made time to let my mind wander, to consider divergent ideas and to think in nonlinear ways

Do you have a routine for your creativity? The boundaries between my creative career and personal life is always blurred. I think that as a creative your life is quite fluid and less about a formal routine and structure. Creative expression is just part of daily life.

3 tips from your recent travels? Embrace a slower pace and enjoy finding the life of the locals. Always carry a spoon for those impromptu delicious market purchases. I am definitely a free wheeler. Some loose sketchy plans are workable but nothing to scheduled.

What is your preferred style of hat for traveling with? A few hats are always better than one. Foldable over structured, easy to pack and neutral colours.

What matters? Be grateful for the now, this present moment in time and be open to spontaneity. Enjoy the small things. I know it sounds like a cliché but it’s true. Integrity of materials and processes is important to me. I care about where and how things are made and what they are made of.

Thanks we love your hats Lorna ! 

www.lornamurray.com.au

Photography

Feature Image by @no.emi
Images 1 & 3 by @dreambelievers
Images 2 & 4 by @our_life_story