Fiona Bennett was born in Brighton in Great Britain and came to Berlin as a child. She learned the craft of millinery in one of the city's few hat studios. In 1999 she opened her own shop in Berlin Mitte, which quickly became a meeting point for international celebrities. Since 2012, Fiona Bennett has been based on Potsdamer Straße, together with her business partner Hans Böhme. Since then, Fiona has been one of the most successful and extraordinary milliners in Germany. Her original hats have graced the cover of Vogue, major fashion magazines have enhanced photo series with her creations, and celebrities around the world wear Bennett's models. She has been in the business for over 30 years and has remained true to herself. All of the label's models are made by hand in the shop window of the studio in Berlin, with every decoration and even the smallest detail being the result of skilled craftsmanship. For Fiona, there is nothing more exciting than constantly shaping materials into new forms. She allows fashion and art to flow into one another, creating distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces.

You can currently read about her life in her biography “From Curling Feathers: A Life as a Milliner – Muse – Style Icon”.

We interviewed Fiona Bennett and wanted to know how she discovered her passion and what she is planning for the near future.

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FCG: How did you come up with the idea of ​​designing special hats… when and where did your passion arise?

Fiona Bennett: I have been a passionate hat designer for 32 years. Originally I dreamt of sculpting, but by chance I learned about the dying craft of millinery and felt called to dust off the old hat and breathe new life into this craft.

From the very beginning, I was interested in designing contemporary or timeless hats. Excerpts from my story can be read in my book "Vom Locken der Federn" (published by Knesebeck Verlag). Since the book is already sold out in stores, copies are only available to buy in our shop.

FCG: You were born in Britain. What are the differences between the German and English markets?

Fiona Bennett: That's true, but I now work exclusively in Germany and therefore have no direct comparisons. The English are of course way ahead in the hat industry, and hat culture is very well cultivated there. In Germany, the joy of this wonderful accessory had to be reawakened.

FCG: What would you like to see for the German fashion landscape? What should change?

Fiona Bennett: Germans should look after their designers better and be proud of what they have to offer, without just hoping for a quick profit. There should be more support so that committed designers and companies can grow. We have enough talent in Germany, and it shouldn't just be about the next generation, because those who have been around for a long time should also be looked after and considered. My suggestion would be to involve designers more in the processes and listen to what is needed.

Otherwise, the German fashion landscape unfortunately keeps shooting itself in the foot.

FCG: What are your goals for the next two years?

Fiona Bennett: We are opening up our archive and installing an online hat rental shop where stylists, designers, costume designers and private individuals can browse in the future and borrow special unique hats from the archive on a daily basis for a fee. This is sustainable and makes our label accessible to a wider customer community. We are also working on a line that works better in online retail. Our hat palace on Potsdamer Straße will only have the current, hand-made hat collection. We are also planning an artist edition twice a year in cooperation.

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Thank you Fiona Bennett for this insight, we wish you much success in the coming months and years!