Hats off to milliner Davina!

I'm absolutely delighted, it's lovely recognition, I still can't believe it,' the London-trained Milliner, now living and crafting from her workshop in Cavan Town, told The Anglo-Celt.

Davina's hats were chosen from the work of four highly talented Irish milliners where they were assessed at the Irish Fashion Innovation Awards in Galway last week by a panel of expert judges.
Davina's instantly elegant, often dramatic, and always eye-catching creations, which blend a variety of textiles, feathers and styles inspired in part by Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, have graced catwalks, wedding aisles and celebrity events the length and breadth of the country.
In addition to chicken feathers, Davina uses ostrich feathers and also turkey feathers, which she hand-picks from her family's farm in south Cavan.
'You have to put your best work out there for shows and competitions. I have different collections every year and each one takes on a different theme,' she explains. Her intrinsic eye for detail and careful craft have led not only to her hats, including the hugely popular and distinctive #LynchMob kitted Aran bobble-tassle hats being showcased and sold at luxury Grafton Street retailer, Brown Thomas. Her work has also featured on RTE's Nationwide programme recently, and last year one of Davina's headpieces was chosen as Champion Hat - Best Hat at The Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown Race Course.
It all bodes well for local designer.
Whereas last year's 'White Star' couture collection, from which the 'Olympia' was selected to be worn during the finale of the Rose of Tralee Fashion Show last August, this year's collection is taking on more tonal colours inspired by the majesty and movement of darkness at night.
'This year I brought together a collection called 'Under the Moonlight', based on capturing colours under the moonlight. The shapes then are just things I like, I love working with feathers, hand-dyed and hand-cutting them into shapes, and I also work a lot with Origami and paper.'
In full knowledge that a hat or headpiece can be a make or break for an outfit, Davina tends to meet with her models or buyers up to six weeks before her creation is completed, with at least two fittings in the interim.
'It's not just a hat on your head. A hat or headpiece doesn't automatically have to be eye-catching. It also has to suit the person, their shape. You could have the nicest hat but if it doesn't suit them it can look awful. You have to get it right. The proportions have to be right, the colour tones, shape and size, the right type of textiles are being used. So there is a lot to be considered.'
Despite leading the line in pushing the envelope for Irish hat design, Davina is not resting on her laurels, and is constantly on the look out for new ideas.
'The awards are wonderful in that it gets my name out there. But it doesn't stop there for me. I have to keep working on my designs. You have to constantly keep going, and working on fresh ideas. I might work on one collection a year, but there are always ideas flowing around for what I might work on next. Nothing designed, but I'm open to everything that comes my way,' she adds.