We currently run a number of millinery courses throughout the year and have definitely noticed a rise in the number of people expressing an interest in making their own. However, the industry has changed enormously over the past 12 months and whereas two to three seasons ago grungy, shabby chic-style head wear was very fashionable, nowadays people are gravitating towards slightly more feminine pieces instead.

The huge interest in vintage fashion has definitely had a lot to do with this and there generally seems to be a lot of demand for 50s-inspired clothing right now, which is also having an impact. Indeed, the days of people wanting to dress down and wear quite unisex garments appear to be over and consumers now want dressier headpieces that will really make them stand out.

Of course, the economic downturn has also had an influence and we tend to find that consumers always become more interested in making their own things when money becomes tight – reverting, I guess you could say, to the mentality of those living during the war.

People are also spending far less than they were in the past and also thinking much more carefully about the things they buy – choosing longer-lasting clothing and accessories, for instance, instead of cheap, throwaway garments that they'll only be able to use for a few months.

Blossoming Market
Hat making appeals to everyone and we certainly attract a very wide and varied group of people to our classes, with everyone from young children and customers who've never sewn before, to individuals wanting to make their own clothes and those interested in producing items to sell to others all signing up to our classes.

At the moment, recycling is very fashionable and we're seeing a number of really interesting materials being incorporated into people's designs. Old t-shirts, scraps of used fabrics and vintage-style metro prints all seem to be very popular right now, and customers have definitely become a lot more experimental with their designs.

With the Royal wedding fast approaching, hat making workshops are likely to be in huge demand over the next year – something independent craft shops, particularly those specialising in haberdashery supplies, can really use to their advantage. Remember, consumers are always looking for ways to spruce up their projects and whether it's incorporating a variety of your products – ribbons, feathers and beads – into your workshops, or simply experimenting with a more ambitious design, the more of your supplies you include in the classes, the greater the rewards are likely to be.

Top Trends
At present, brighter colours seem to be very fashionable, with pieces in turquoise, midnight blue and orange appearing heavily in people's designs. Silver and gold materials are also very much in favour, as are fabrics with an animal print design. Pastel-like shades are also quite popular right now and we're generally noticing a lot of vintage-style fabrics being used in head wear.

Size wise, smaller, burlesque-inspired hats are likely to be huge this year, seeing grungier, beanie-style hats replaced with more sophisticated designs.

What's more, it won't only be the ladies wearing the head wear; men will also be experimenting with more adventurous styles and moving away from the baseball caps and beanies favoured over the past few years and experimenting with bowler hats and trilbies instead.