Flossie and Dean - Our Story

My name is Wendy. I LOVE hats! I have always loved hats from as early as I can remember.

I am a trained milliner from down South in the Christchurch area. I have over 30 years experience, having made a variety of different pieces over the years. I love to help others to know how to wear their hats & fascinators. I have noticed in the fashion field, there is a need to make it individual & unique to the person, to complement & enhance the outfit or personality. It’s all about having fun, been creative & artistic, whimsical & edgy, fascinating.

Let me help you to design and craft a personal piece. As every person is an individual, so is the hat. Not only can I make you a new fashion piece, I can also restore your beloved old treasures, by re-blocking & repairing.

I prefer to use natural products where possible. I like to create an entire "look". I like to discuss ideas with my clients, to get a feel for what the client is trying to achieve. Once I know what you are going to be wearing, I will tailor the hat or fascinator to match. All my pieces are made to traditional methods. This allows for alterations to be made more easily. It’s all an art. I love creating hats for race days, weddings, hats for men, hats for any and every occasions.

Before starting any hat, I get the clients head measurements to get the correct fit. We can do this in person or make contact via phone or email regarding how to measure your head, so I can get the correct fitting for you.

Nothing is too outlandish. The more "out there" it is, the more scope it gives for being creative. If I don’t have the right colour available, I will dye feathers and fabrics to match. I do not use chemicals, as many people have reactions to these. I prefer to use natural products.

Creating a fascinator is completely different to creating a hat. It is very important a fascinator is placed on the head in the correct position and angle. Just as important that the brim of a hat should never be wider than the shoulders.

I collect hat blocks, crowns & brims in different styles and shapes, which allow me to have greater options to offer.

Something many people are not aware of, is that many hats can be repaired. It may mean re-blocking, but that old favourite of yours can have a new lease of life. We can also upcycle that older hat into something new.

Recently, along with my husband, I have been getting involved with Napier Art Deco, Retro, Rockabilly and Vintage items. With all this happening, we have decided to create a new label that embraces all these areas. So Flossie & Dean was born. We have a range of quality pre-loved clothing available; from casual to evening, formal to vintage. Our aim is to keep good clothes out of landfill by selling at reasonable prices. All clothing is washed using eco-friendly cleaners. This helps us to reduce our impact on our local environment. Our main fabrics are cottons, linens, silks & wools.