Shirley Hex (1933–2024) was a British milliner and educator. Hex started working as a milliner in London as a teenager, she was later head of millinery at British

couture Couture may refer to: People * Couture (surname) Places Belgium * Couture-Saint-Germain, a village in the municipality of Lasne, Belgium Canada * Couture crater and Lac Couture, an impact crater and the lake that covers it in Quebec, Canada ...

houses including

Lachasse Lachasse was a British couture firm operating from 1928 until 2006, making it one of the longest surviving high fashion houses in London. Part of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers (IncSoc), it is notable for being a major tr ...

, she ended her career as a lecturer in millinery in higher education including at

Middlesex University Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated to MDX) is a public research university based in Hendon, northwest London, England. The university also has campuses in Dubai and Mauritius. The name of the university is ...

and the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...

. Her students included leading British milliners and designers Stephen Jones,

Philip Treacy Philip Anthony Treacy (born 26 May 1967) is an Irish haute couture Hatmaking, milliner, or hat designer, who has been mostly based in London for his career, and who was described by ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' magazine as "perhaps the greatest ...

and Noel Stewart. Stephen Jones acknowledged her a his

muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

and credited her for a revival in British millinery. Born in 1933 in London, to Bob and Ethel Hex. Hex began her millinery career in London as a teenager, with a wage of £1 per week. In the 1950s she worked in the workshops of London millinery brands including Madame Vernier and Edward Mann. In 1976 Hex started at the head of the millinery for British couture house Lachasse, where she trained Stephen Jones as an intern. She then worked as head of millinery at Frederic Fox in London. While working there she made many hats worn by guests at the

wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer The wedding of Prince Charles (later King Charles III) and Lady Diana Spencer took place on Wednesday, 29 July 1981, at St Paul's Cathedral in London, United Kingdom. The groom was the heir apparent to the British throne, and the bride was a mem ...

. After her retirement from the major brands workshops she turned to teaching but continued to make hats for

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

. In the 1990s, Hex made hats for

John Galliano John Charles Galliano (born 28 November 1960) is a British fashion designer. He was the creative director of his eponymous label John Galliano and French fashion houses Givenchy and Dior. From 2014 to 2024, Galliano was the creative director ...

's catwalk shows. Hex lectured in millinery at Middlesex University, Harrow University, Surrey Institute of Art & Design and the Royal College of Art. Her students included notable milliners and fashion designers such as Stephen Jones, Philip Treacy, Flora McLean, Deborah Miller, Noel Stewart and Misa Harada.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hex, Shirley 1933 births 2024 deaths Academics of Middlesex University Academics of the Royal College of Art Academics of the University for the Creative Arts Academics of the University of Westminster British milliners Designers from London English women fashion designers