MILAN–Approaching hatmaking as art, Altalen’s design-duo Antonina De Luca and Elena Todros are making a name for themselves as go-to milliners for women who want to make a statement at Milan’s most fashionable events.
Immersed in a pile of swathes of felt, needles and thread, co-founder and costume-designer-turned-milliner De Luca crafts a golfer hat with straw from Madagascar.
“Hats for many years were not fashionable,” explained De Luca’s partner, co-founder and milliner Elena Todros, who worked for decades as a Conde’ Nast fashion editor and as a consultant for fashion brands. Todros’ experience has certainly helped the brand’s custom-made berets and pleated fascinators gain visibility in Milan’s hip and chic circles.
Around Milan, Atelier Altalen has made a splash by co-hosting artistic exhibitions, which has involved the work of acclaimed fashion photographer Giovanni Gastel, who among other photos captured entrepreneur/problem solver/local fashion icon Helen Nonini, an aficionado of Altalen’s exotic turbans and head pieces.
“Our company is founded on the idea of hat therapy, and the idea that to create value in a hat, it has to be done specifically for you,” Todros said. –Sofia Celeste
WHO: Antonia de Luca and Elena Todros
WHAT THEY MAKE: Custome-made hats
WHERE THEY ARE SOLD: www.altalen.com
HEADQUARTERS: Milan, Italy
