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Journal

Maria Etkind Millinery is a Panamanian millinery living in New Orleans. She loves to share some of her millinery adventures in her journal. If you are a hat enthusiast or a millinery you will love to read her musings.

Filtering by Category: Events

Thanksgiving at the Track

Maria Etkind

It has become a family tradition to go to the Fair Grounds Racetrack here in New Orleans on Thanksgiving Day.

This was our first year back after COVID lockdowns and it didn’t disappoint. We usually meet at my house for brunch and head out around 11:30 am to watch and bet on the horse races. This year my nephew, sister and my friend J came with me. The ladies were happy to wear two of my millinery creations! My sister won a couple of times and we did a group parlay bet that also won!

I made a fun metallic and black straw saucer hat with bow details and wore black, white and pink dress. My sister is wearing a feather swirl headband and my friend J has a gray straw fascinator with a black swirl trim.

It’s so much fun watching all the fun outfits and hats and meeting up with friends. We have so much to be thankful for this year! Happy Thanksgiving and I hope to see you at the track next year!

categories Events
tags Thanksgiving

New Orleans Museum of Art presents: "Art in Bloom"

Maria Etkind

I was so excited to be asked by the New Orleans Museum of Art to participate in their annual Art in Bloom exhibit. Art in Bloom will showcases spectacular floral designs created by garden clubs, floral designers and creative talents from across New Orleans. The theme of the exhibit was “Home Grown”.

The hat was handmade using all natural straw materials including the flowers and trim.

The hat was handmade using all natural straw materials including the flowers and trim.

Enjoying the fruits of my labor at the opening reception on May 05,2021

Enjoying the fruits of my labor at the opening reception on May 05,2021

My submission title: Uniquely Resilient

Inspiration: To live in New Orleans we have to be "uniquely resilient" like the Camellia blossom. Camellia’s also enjoy a long blooming season just like we enjoy a long season of festivals and celebrations.

Materials: cream sinamay straw wide brimmed hat with silk abaca, handmade and hand dyed Camellia flowers and trim. 

Botanical: Manila Hemp (sinamay and silk abaca straw), Philippines

My initial sketch. I new I wanted to use Camellia flowers for the trim.

My initial sketch. I new I wanted to use Camellia flowers for the trim.

I think this is the first time that one of my hats looks very similar to the sketch!

I think this is the first time that one of my hats looks very similar to the sketch!

categories Press, Events
tags museum, hat

MIMC 2021: People's Choice Award Winner

Maria Etkind

“Jazz Funeral” This hat was designed to honor New Orleanians who have died due to Covid 19.

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Concept Development:

When I decided to enter the MIMC hat competition last fall I wasn’t sure what hat design I wanted to create. The theme this year was “little black dress”. I started thinking about what a little black dress meant to me. My first thought was, “What are we supposed to celebrate during this pandemic?” I kept just thinking about wearing a black dress to a funeral. I remembered reading the news in April of 2020 that Ellis Marsalis a famous New Orleans jazz musician, mentor and icon had died from COVID. His family wasn’t going to be able to have a “jazz funeral”. Back in April, New Orleans was leading the nation in COVID cases and the majority of deaths were and still are in the African American community. I knew I had to make a hat honoring all the people that have died of COVID and other causes and couldn’t have a proper funeral. I wanted to make a hat that celebrates life.

I knew that I would have to ship the hat to Melbourne, Australia. This meant that I had to keep the hat small due to international shipping cost! In the US the cost scales with the dimensions of the box, not just the weight. I knew I had to keep my cost down, so the hat had to be small. I also knew I had to allow 4-6 weeks for the hat to get there. As you might remember the USPS had collapsed this past holiday season do to high demand! My work began in early Dec., so that my hat would arrive before the deadline which was the first week February.

“Once a person is buried, you have the second line. It’s the party, the good time, the celebration of life,” Marsalis said. “It’s a community’s responsibility to celebrate the life of someone. Even if I didn’t know them, I pull out my umbrella, get my best dancing shoes on, and we’re gonna have a good time.”
— Ellis Marsalis

Melbourne International Milliners Competition:

The MIMC hat competition 2021 had a total of 80 entries from all over the world this year. It was great to see that 3 of my fellow Milliners Guild members and friends also participated. I was honored to be in the top 20 finalists. The top 20 announcement was made LIVE on their MIMC Instagram social media account and can be watched on their IGTV. The finalist were then announced on Feb. 21 also via IGTV. You can watch it here.

I am happy to announce that I won People’s Choice Award! This award is given to the milliner that gets the most email votes!

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Thank you to all who voted for me and verified their emails!

My artist statement: Jazz Funeral (Entry 28)
When people die in New Orleans, their families and friends celebrate their passing with a “jazz funeral” by filling the streets with music – a celebration of the person’s life as much as a mourning of their death. The brass band starts playing sad music but soon the procession turns into a joyous celebration and everybody dances as they become part of the “second line”. The hat “Jazz Funeral” was created to honor New Orleanians who died due to COVID. The colors purple/black symbolize spirituality, creativity, royalty and mourning.

The process of making the competition a couture hat:

Starting the blocking several layers of straw, putting together the trim and starting the feather pompom.

Starting the blocking several layers of straw, putting together the trim and starting the feather pompom.

Trying on the hat and adding the trim, cutting lots of ostrich feathers to create a pom pom, finsihing the lining.

Trying on the hat and adding the trim, cutting lots of ostrich feathers to create a pom pom, finsihing the lining.

It takes a village

A huge THANK YOU to Catherine and Team Essential, Melbourne International Millinery Competition, Presented by The Essential Hat and the judges; Todd Anthony, Lauren Ritchie and Philip Rhodes.

Photo Credits: @mimc_competition

Also a big thank you to my family, friends and fellow milliners for voting for me! I wouldn’t be here with out your love and support!

You can watch Dr. John’s jazz funeral (2019):

Dr. John Second Line following his Memorial Celebration at the Orpheum Theater.

Listen to the Spotify second line playlist “Dancing in the streets” created by the New Orleans Historic Collection for their current exhibit Dancing in the Streets: Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs. You know your in New Orleans when you hear track seven!

categories Award, Events, Press
tags MIMC