Meet the hatmaker and owner of Veronica Marucci Chapeaux and find out about her passion for finding the balance between heritage, craftsmanship and seeking new ways of expression.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into hatmaking?
I was born in Italy and that's where I studied fashion design and became a designer. During my studies I became especially interested in the millinery arts – or hatmaking. After I graduated I spent several years working in Italy, then I moved to Paris to get professional milliner's training at Madame de Jouffroy’s atelier. I had a dream to reinvent the hat! The way hats can complete a style and look is something I find truly unique – wearing one is such a deliberate choice that reflects the wearer's personality, how it can change your face and transform a seemingly ordinary outfit into a piece of art. This is how the hat is a very powerful accessory.
When you have time off, what do you do?
Running my shop and making hats for clients means that I have a very busy schedule, but when I’m off I try to enjoy the simple pleasures of life; eating, drinking, looking at art and listening to music. So I try and keep all kinds of cultural offers high on my list of leisure activities. Of course, there's a part of experiencing culture that is linked to me getting inspired for work, but I believe that being widely exposed to all aspects of art and culture is healthy for the overall quality of life. I also try to meet people all the time – the more different the better.
What are you wearing right now?
I usually wear black and dark clothes – and I am definitely a trousers girl!
My clothes are from the Italian brands Brunello Cuccinelli and Alberto Biani. The fur is one that I picked up in Milan and is made of fox. It can be transformed into different shapes and styles via the sewn-in magnets – some very clever detail.
Where are your favourite places in Paris?
My shop, the hat shop, of course!
Jokes aside, I have three favourite places depending on the weather and time of day:
When it's grey, rainy and awful, the river Seine is my favourite place. It's so beautiful and the gloomy weather really goes well with all the grandeur of the riverside buildings.
When it's a sunny, warm day I go to Marche aux Puces Saint-Ouen – a flea market in Northern Paris – looking for small trinkets and art pieces. I can spend hours up there!
In the evening, Montmartre, is definitely my favourite. Maybe it's a little bit of a cliché, but all the small streets and the joie d’vivre up there is enchanting.
What is your favourite clothing brand?
Valentino. At the moment I am a little saddened by the state of the fashion industry. It is all about marketing and branding – you can’t often see the real craft of the work because it isn’t there. Valentino is for me a proof of the contrary. I visited them recently in Italy and they stick to the artisanal approach of manufacturing clothing. That comforts me.
Otherwise, I think that Céline and Chanel are still keep up the good work with their collections and styles. They have a foot in both the heritage of the brand and in seeking new ways of expression.
VERONICA MARUCCI
Born
Milan, Italy
Current city
Paris, France
Occupation
Hatmaker