Welcome to the Hatters Millinery Supplies Hattember Competition for 2026!
We’re doing things a bit differently this year and keeping it simple, with just two categories to choose from! As always, we have come up with an exciting challenge that is sure to spark your creativity!
The Hattember competition is a charitable effort, raising funds for the John Skipper Kelly Fund. The JSK Fund is a cause close to our hearts, which provides leadership opportunities, mentoring and support for young people from a range of backgrounds.
The Hattember Materials Kit:
Entrants in each category will be sent a curated bag of materials (each category will receive different materials) in which to create their entry from. Each of the items in the bag must be used, if only in part, to complete your submission. You are able to use any number of additional materials, as long as you still feature at least in part, some of the materials provided.
Registration Fees:
Registration, which includes entry, and your bag of materials, is:
- $140 for Category 1: Millinery – Paradox and Illusion
- $95 for Category 2: Novice Millinery – Eras and Icons
You may enter up to two times per category.
Postage and return postage of your final submission is at the entrants cost. A return postage label MUST be included in the box with your submission. If you are an international entrant, you may contact us to organise your return postage.
For full details on each category as well as terms and conditions, see below.
A look at this year’s Categories:
Category 1: Millinery –
Hattember Millinery Category: Paradox and Illusion
For this year’s competition we are asking entrants to create a hat, headpiece or fascinator. As always, we are looking for an innovative and high quality piece of Millinery that aligns with our provided theme.
The prompt this year is “Paradox and Illusion”. For this year we have chosen a wide ranging theme asking you to deal with ideas of contrast, contradictions and perception vs. reality – think optical illusions, trickery, opposing colour schemes, Trompe-l’oeil and light and shade. As usual in the Hattember competition, this is a really broad theme and we would love to see how you choose to interpret it!
You will be provided with a curated bag of Millinery materials in which to create your entry from. Each of the items in the bag must be used, if only in part, to complete your submission. This year you are able to use any number of additional materials, as long as you still feature the materials provided.
The piece should be made to fit a head fit of 22.5 inches or 57cm.
Judges will determine the winner of the category by –
Original Design
Wearability
Quality Workmanship
Use of provided and additional materials
Interpretation of the theme
Hattember Novice Category: Eras and Icons
Eligibility
This category is open to any current student of millinery at an accredited source (e.g. TAFE students, community college students, online millinery courses, millinery workshops) or beginner who has not been awarded First Prize in Hattember or a similar award class in an equivalent Millinery competition. Those with an established commercial millinery enterprise are also not permitted to enter this category of the competition.
We are asking entrants in the Novice category to create a hat, headpiece or fascinator.
The prompt for this year’s competition is “Eras and Icons”. We’re asking you to be inspired by the link between fashion, music and millinery over the decades. The lines of inspirations for this category could come from anywhere! You could be inspired by an artist, a designer, a song, a film, a colour palette – from the current decade or your favourite era of style. As usual, the theme is open to your interpretation, there is no right and wrong.
You will be provided with a curated bag of Millinery materials in which to create your entry from. Each of the items in the bag must be used, if only in part, to complete your submission. You are able to use any number of additional materials, as long as you still feature and highlight the materials provided.
The piece should be made to fit a head fit of 22.5 inches or 57cm.
Judges will determine the winner of the Novice Millinery Category by –
- Original Design
- Wearability
- Quality Workmanship
- Use of provided and additional materials
- Interpretation of the theme
Registration and Payment:
- Registrations open on Wednesday 20th May for all categories and close on Monday 22nd June.
- Registration cost is $140 for the Millinery Category and $95 for the Novice Millinery Category – included in this price is your entry fee and a set bag of materials that will be used to create your submission.
- Registration and payment should be made through the Hatters Millinery Supplies Website here
Competition materials will be sent out collectively by Friday 26th June in the attempt to keep a fair playing field (International entries will be sent out earlier to allow for postage times).
As this is a fund raising event we are unable to provide a refund once materials have been sent to you.
Submission and Exhibition:
When your entry is complete and ready to submit, please ensure that it is well packaged and protected before sending and includes the following:
- Your entry
- A submission form, which can be downloaded Here
- A return postage label (please note that if you live outside of Australia, you may contact us to arrange a return postage label). If you live within Australia and you are struggling to arrange a return postage label, please contact us.
- All entries must be sent or delivered to this address by Friday 21st August
Hatters Millinery Supplies
128 Victoria Rd
Rozelle NSW 2039
AUSTRALIA
If you would like to deliver or collect your entry in person, please state that on your submission form.
Happy Hatting!
The Hatters Millinery Supplies and Hattember Team
xEdit