This hat commemorates the centenary of World War 1. Light blue felt is dyed to portray a despairing, dark sky become lighter towards dawn, grief to hope. The back of the hat is left bare to recall devastation. Barbed wire, iron and shrapnel are represented by 'tortured' feathers. A disproportioned blood red poppy explodes to dominate destruction and provide hope for life and healing.
A woman adorned by a Bettina Thomas hat will turn heads, for her hats are individual masterworks. Each one has its own spirit and is a delightful example of an original concept made real through precise and refined workmanship. Once a couture dressmaker, cutting, manipulating and sewing fine fabrics into garments of her own invention, she has evolved into a sculptor of fabric, creating adornments for stylish women’s heads. Her hats fulfil a practical purpose and have an aesthetic virtue. Bettina has lived in three continents and speaks three languages with easy fluency. She is acutely aware of what she sees and hears so her creative work is continuously refreshed as her technical prowess accrues. For five years she has studied and mastered the practices used by the British court. The styles and innovations originally created for the then Queen in 1937, rapturously applauded in Paris, and then worldwide, are now the foundation of Bettina’s prowess. Such meticulous training ensures that Bettina’s hats are engineered to perfection - as easy to wear, as they are stunning to see.
Angus Stewart, FRSA, President, British Section
International Association of Art Critics
