I grew up in rural New South Wales and, like most country kids, learned early how get in and have a go. My working life has taken me across a range of industries - beef, agriculture, pearling, aquaculture and remote aged care - as well as roles with government and private businesses.
I’ve always had a deep appreciation of rural, regional and remote Australia and the people who live and work here.
Millinery first entered my life while I was working on remote cattle and sheep stations. Race meetings were always part of the social calendar, but finding something to wear - particularly a good hat - wasn’t always easy when you were living and working far from town.
Most women in the Bush work right up until the last minute before heading off to the races. I started helping friends reshape and refresh the hats they already owned so they’d have something special to wear on race day.
What began as helping out soon turned into teaching myself the trade properly. Before long I was creating my own designs, inspired by the landscapes around me and the women I met along the way.
In 2007 I registered Hats by Felicity, and in 2016 I made the leap into running the business full time. My designs are inspired by the landscapes around me - particularly the Kimberley - and often incorporate hand-collected feathers and South Sea pearls grown in the waters near Broome.
In 2014 I became the first Australian milliner to showcase on the runway of New York Fashion Week, returning for three consecutive years. The journey from Broome to Manhattan was later captured in the documentary MadHATtan: From the Kimberley to New York.
While the international stage was an incredible experience, the heart of my work has always remained much closer to home.
Many of the women I design for live and work across rural and remote
Australia, where shopping options are often limited. That’s how Milliner on the Move began - packing the car with a collection of hats and travelling to stations, towns and events across the country so women can try on and commission pieces in person.
Alongside millinery, I also founded The Homestead Hub, a platform connecting rural, regional and remote Australians with businesses that understand their world. What began as a simple idea has grown into a national community of businesses supporting and collaborating with each other.
I also host guests at The Quarters in Broome and bring people together through events, creative gatherings and shared experiences. I love to celebrate creativity, support & showcase rural and regional Australians, and I love bringing people together in fun and meaningful ways.
Broome is home, and the colours, characters and landscapes of the Kimberley continue to inspire the work I do - every single day.
A few things you might not know about me
I’m happiest on a long road trip with a good playlist and a car full of hat boxes.
Some of my best design ideas arrive somewhere between cattle grids.
Broome sunsets still stop me in my tracks.
I believe some of the most creative and capable people in Australia live and work in rural and remote communities.
And if there’s a gathering of good people, a shared table and a few yarns being told, you’ll probably find me there.