I have been creating millinery designs since 1998 immediately after finishing my studies for a millinery certificate at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
In the early 2000's my mother discovered she had breast cancer. She asked me to make a turban for her to wear during her treatment. I was instructed on how to "drape" a turban in the classic way at FIT, but I really wanted to find a simpler way to make an easily shaped and formed turban. Something that ANYONE could "drape". I made turbans for her, but they were clumsy and subpar. (To her credit as a mom, she wore them!) The "easier" way to make a turban continued to vex me for years.
In 2003, I moved to Paris and studied millinery design. In Paris, they taught us to be adventurous in seeking out our hat making materials. In 2012 I started playing around with some soft wire that I had found at hardware shops and came up with my turban design. I had finally created something stylish and easy to form into amazing and dramatic shapes. Linda Pagan at The Hat Shop in NYC, picked up some pieces for her shop and the Twisturban began to develop a following.
It took years of trial and error, asking friends to try them, seeking out materials and developing techniques to get to the design of the Twisturban today. I have sourced a special wire directly from a factory that makes the weight and fit as comfortable as possible.
Since 2013, I have been making and selling the Twisturban in NYC. Soon after, they were sold in shops as far away as ALARA in Lagos, Nigeria.
I use quality fabrics for the best possible look and feel for each piece. Each Twisturban is made by hand with attention to detail in the milliner's tradition.
My unique design patented with a trademark on the Twisturban brand.