Supplier Spotlight – McFayden Millinery

This month, Jodi from McFayden Millinery takes on our quickfire questions!

Please introduce yourself:

Hi! I’m Jodi, a milliner (from McFayden Millinery) who specialises in bridal veils, hats and headpieces with a unique style. I love to make headwear for non-traditional brides, using colour and often with a vintage influence. I love cats and all things pink!

(Including her hair!)

Your business…

1. Where do you call home?
I’ve lived in South Hackney, East London for nearly 20 years, it definitely feels like home!

2. What made you want to set up your business?
I was unhappy in my previous career and started millinery as a hobby, I found I had a flair for it and I loved it too! Making things for people to wear felt amazing!

3. Why the wedding industry?
So I sort of fell in to the bridal scene when a customer asked if I could make one of my coloured hats in ivory for her wedding, I had never considered making bridal before then.

4. What’s the best part of your job?
Seeing a bride really happy with what I have made and being a part of their special day.

5. What’s the worst part of your job?
It can be lonely at times, working away in my studio.

6. What’s the weirdest request you’ve ever had from a client?
To make a replica bicorn hat for a fancy dress party in France!

7. You’re surrounded by beauty in your job, what do you find beautiful?
For me beauty is in so many things, particularly in nature, watching birds in the park, a single leaf, the light through the trees…

8. Best piece of advice to offer to those getting married?
Be true to yourself, it’s your day, you will never please everyone. Your day your way!!

9. Who or what is your biggest influence?
I have so many influences, those around me who I find inspiring, other designers from past and present, the great art movements, nature, the list goes on…

10. Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Believe in yourself, keep on fighting.

11. What was your career plan B?
I’m actually a qualified teacher and still teach once a week at Crisis Skylight London, though its millinery now and not primary teaching.

You…

12. Tell us something surprising about yourself!
I trained as a set designer for theatre and film.

(The below is actually a pic of Jodi at a kitsch styled wedding shoot, but I thought it was fitting!)

13. Pints and pies or coffee and cake?
Coffee and cake all the way!

14. What’s your favourite shop?
Paperchase!

15. If you could buy any building, which would it be?
Limehouse Town Hall where I have my studio, then I could return it to its former glory. It’s an amazing building which is home to charities, artists, designers – but it’s not in the best state.

16. Favourite film?
Edward Scissorhands.

17. Your biggest pet peeve?
Gosh, I have a lot of these! Cyclists going too fast along the canals near where I live is near the top!!

18. What’s your guilty pleasure?
Cream cakes, or basically any dessert that involves fresh cream!

19. Favourite thing to do on a rainy day?
Stay indoors, watch TV and cosy up with my little cat.

20. Cosy night in or big night out?
Cosy night in for sure.

21. What’s the most romantic thing someone’s ever done for you?
For me this is when I had first started seeing my current partner, I really wanted a dog but knew my 2 cats wouldn’t appreciate it. At Christmas he got me a gift of supporting a dog at the Dogs Trust, 8 years on we still support Digby!

22. Most perfect place for a sunrise?
Chania, Crete, overlooking the old lighthouse.

And finally…

23. Invisibility or flight?
Invisibility

24. Do you believe in fate?
I believe in things happening for a reason, for me there is no such thing as coincidence.

25. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
Stop all animal cruelty.

Thank you so much to Jodi from McFayden Millinery for taking part! And what a talented lady! She’s mastered three careers and I’ve barely mastered one…! Hat’s off to Jodi! (Sorry.)

P.S. Here’s a wee pic of me wearing one of Jodi’s wonderful creations at a wedding last year!