The big reveal is finally here! The piece that was chosen to be exhibited at London Hat Week is Warrior. Each designer had to follow guidelines when submitting their pieces. The design had to be either inspired by a ‘painter, film or architecture, created hats with the help of a sculptor, scientist or collaborated with a print designer, stylist, photographer to create history and to make great ideas come true.’
Warrior
Warrior was inspired by artist Victoria Horkan, I seen her work online and what caught my attention was her use of layering and colouring. In my own work I use a lot of layering and I seen a similarity between both of our work. Each one of Victoria’s brush strokes are unique and can never be 100% replicated which can also be said for my fabric’s, each stitch and fiber that has gone into my fabric’s cannot be replicated.
Victoria Horkan
Warrior
Victoria’s images are so striking and mesmerising, if you look long enough at them you feel like you can see them moving as if in the wind, this feeling was what inspired me to use feathering in this piece. When the feathers catch in the wind I felt they gave a similar visual effect to Victoria’s paining and when photographed gave a strong visual sense which echoed Victoria’s work.
Victoria Horkan
Warrior is made using my handmade fabric, the fabric making process is started by making reams of fabrics with the desired colours and fibers. It is then cut and shaped into the chosen design, from here I added my feathers to finish the designs. 
Warrior
My use of colour for this piece started around a green piece of fabric I constructed, I then added complimentary colours to my fabric as I was constructing it. I then replicated these colour in the feathering effect. There are two fabric making process I used for this piece, one has a strong colour pigment and the other has lighter tones with a shine running through it with one complimenting the other. I began this piece with about a 50% understanding of what direction I wanted it go in, I had never used both fabric types together before and they worked tremendously together.
Warrior
I am absolutely thrilled that my design was chosen for London Hat Week. It will be on display from October 6th-12th, you can still purchase tickets here and I look forward to seeing everyone in London. You can also see more of my designs on my website www.saradendesigns.com.