HIS hat designs dominated the Royal wedding and now Newbiggin woman Linda Lightley has scooped a top summer job with the famous designer.
Linda, pictured, of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, has secured a prestigious summer work placement with Philip Treacy, who designed 36 of the hats worn at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding.
Creations made by the top milliner sell for thousands of pounds.
The hat that was worn by Princess Beatrice of York at the Royal Wedding recently sold on eBay for more than £80,000.
He has also created hats featured in the Harry Potter films and the one worn by Hollywood actress Sarah Jessica Parker for the Sex and the City film premiere.
Thrilled Linda, an associate textile lecturer at Gateshead College, will be spending part of the coming holidays working in London for the world-renowned designer of haute couture and ready-to-wear hat collections.
The chance to study under a top designer is the opportunity of a lifetime for the designer, who got the placement after securing an interview with Philip Treacy and impressing him with her work.
Linda, who has her own website and undertakes private commissions and bespoke designs, has already designed more than 100 hats herself, including one that sold for £175.
Now she’s looking forward to working with Philip and his team of top designers during the summer break to improve her own design and hat making skills before passing on her experiences to students.
She said: “It’s an amazing opportunity that will give me some very specialised industry experience with one of the true leaders in the fashion industry and skills that I’m sure I will be able to pass on to my students to help them improve too.
“Philip Treacy has been an inspiration to so many people, including myself, and there’s a reason for that – he’s a creative genius.
“There’s no doubt that the experience will benefit every aspect of my teaching role at the college as well as in my own creative work.”
Linda’s own work can also been seen at www.lindalightley.com