I started 'I am a Hat' in 2008 after returning from London, where I trained part-time for two and half years as a milliner under two prominent London milliners: Sue Dewhurst and Noel Stewart. Before that, I worked as an adult literacy and numeracy teacher and painted oil paintings part-time. Naturally, I combined my passion for hats with my artistic talent to create unique and interesting one-off hats for private clients.

My biggest passion is new vintage hats and I specialise in the Art Deco period from 1920 to 1950. I have a large selection of antique wooden hat blocks that I use to stretch and shape my hats on. I also make hats for theatre, with my most recent work making Shakespearean hats for the Pop-Up Globe Theatre's 2017 season.


In 2016, I bought Matakana Millinery, so that a wider range of hats could be made to cater for a broadening cross-section of clients interested in my hats. Matakana Millinery provided me with four vintage French hat presses run on gas and the 90 different hat blocks allowed me to make both men and womens' hats of many different sizes and shapes. I spent my days making hats in a barn in Waimauku, 35 minutes North West of Auckland. Unfortunately, due to health issues, I could longer continue with my thriving business.

I now make hats on an occasional basis, focussing on my favourite styles from the Art Deco period. I hope you enjoy viewing my offerings!

Karen Newborn