Luke Song, hat designer to the stars, guests at local event
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Hat designer Luke Song of Mr. Song's Millinery and the newest plumed headbands. -
Spring Hat Luncheon chairs Christine Hilliard, Peggy McKnight, Gabriela Porges, Susie Dorrance and Jessica O'Brien model Mr. Song hats. -
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Aretha Franklin donned a hat from Mr. Song for President Barack Obama's inauguration.
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The hatter is mad -- mad that so many of his designs have been copied by other manufacturers and, legally, there isn't much he can do. That's especially true of the hat Luke Song designed for Aretha Franklin, the gray felt confection with the giant, rhinestone-trimmed bow she wore to President Barack Obama's inauguration.
While some criticism was leveled at the singer for "upstaging" the president (and one suspects the real complaint was that she gave the first lady competition on the fashion front), the hat was a huge success. Mr. Song Millinery received more than 5,000 orders for the spring version of Ms. Franklin's hat, along with international recognition. Not that he was unknown before Ms. Franklin, a longtime client, wore his creation.
He's based near Detroit, and his distinctive hats are much sought after by the African-American church ladies who came to Ms. Franklin's defense. But now Queen Elizabeth is reportedly interested in his designs, and business has been so brisk on the website that Mr. Song expects his revenue to increase six times over this year.
Some of that might come from the hundreds of women who are planning to attend the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Spring Hat Luncheon, which takes place May 1 in Highland Park. Mr. Song previewed his newest creations during the Patron Party for the benefit that was hosted by Ritchie Scaife last week. He will donate a portion of all Pittsburgh hat sales to the conservancy between now and the luncheon.
As the affable designer mingled with the guests, the event chairs modeled his hats, getting a jump on the Kentucky Derby crowd that also favors Mr. Song. It helps that he has three lines ranging in price from $20 to between $500 and $3,000 for couture. But the majority are in the $100-to-$200 range, and that's not counting the lines he designs for other manufacturers -- sometimes inadvertently.
"It's a funny time in fashion right now," he says. "A lot of companies don't have a designer on staff anymore. They let them go due to the economy, so there's a big copying trend."
For spring Mr. Song is showing lots of feathers, especially on headbands ("a sort of introduction to hats for people who are afraid to go full force"). He also likes a 1920s cloche, although for summer "everything goes bigger, wider and a little flashier, with a large brim." And the Aretha hat is still popular in its lighter incarnation. That hat marked a turning point in both directions for Mr. Song, 37, who has been in business for 13 years in the atelier his parents started when they emigrated from South Korea.
First Published April 13, 2010 12:00 am
