Maison Michel

Even though they've gone through a bit of a dry patch, hats are back and making their mark as the must-have accessory. As the ultimate piece to add a finishing touch to any look, they are the emblem of French-made craft at Maison Michel, whose story began in Paris in 1936. Auguste Michel set up his millinery atelier in the heart of the French capital. The address instantly became a significant landmark for fashionistas in search of elegant hats with refined details. Threatened with closure in the late 1960s following the rise of Ready-to-Wear fashion, the craftsman then entrusted his shop to the entrepreneur Pierre Debard and his milliner wife, Claudine. Together, the couple worked hard to update the brand's bespoke offer to meet the needs of Parisian haute couture houses. To achieve this goal, he installed a Weismann, a traditional sewing machine used for sewing straw that hadn't been used for years. Great success followed and the label became the official milliner for the most prestigious design houses, from Pierre Cardin to Yves Saint Laurent. As the benchmark for sophisticated contemporary hat design, Maison Michel was acquired by Chanel in 1997, who integrated it to its Paraffection label, making millinery one of its Métiers d'Art workshops. Today, Maison Michel specialises in exceptional headwear, hair accessories and head jewellery. Each season, Artistic Director Priscilla Royer produces original pieces that combine the label's outstanding expertise with enchanting, contemporary designs. Revisiting the brand's signature models, beads, ribbons and lace regularly feature on straw hats, fedoras, caps and berets.