I recently collaborated with Beijing-based Milliner, Elisabeth Koch to create paper head pieces with my paper.   Truth be told, my entire contribution was essentially giving Elisabeth some of my paper which she then transformed through origami into beautiful, amazing hat creations.   Since she was young, Elisabeth has had a love for origami and lucky for us, this has been put to good use.

Inspired by a bouquet of origami lilies made by her for her grandmother when she was young, she created her first paper hat of origami lilies out of pages of Harper’s Bazaar Jewelry.   Her process is long as you have to measure each square piece perfectly, to then be folded precisely.  Any of the squares cut incorrectly even by a millimeter or folded not right or tight, creates bad results.  Any tears in the paper can’t be repaired as no tape or glue is used at all in the entire hat.  Once the lillies are ready, they are then sew onto a 100% wool felt base with finishing touches and labels completing it.

Elisabeth’s hats have been worn by celebrities in China, royalty and has been seen on heads at Ascot, Melbourne Cup and weddings world-wide.  These Paper Tiger head pieces are available for purchase.  Contact me if you’re interested.  The hats will also be on display on April 16 in Shanghai at the Eco-Design Fair.   Find Elisabeth at http://elisabethkoch.net