Milliner back on top with pop-up shop for regatta

A MILLINER who closed her hat shop in Henley said she was excited to return with a pop-up stall during the royal regatta.

Liz Felix, who ran Liz Felix Millinery in Reading Road for six years until 2020, is running the temporary shop at the entrance to Phyllis Court Club.

She recently moved into a workshop in Gallowstree Common.

Ms Felix said: “I always wanted to come back but I could never find the appropriate place that was financially viable. Retail units in Henley can be so expensive.

“Phyllis Court actually approached me and asked if I wanted to set up shop during the regatta.

“The stall is at the entrance of the club by the ticket office so anyone can come even if they are not a member. I have hundreds of hats and headpieces, such as a Panama, which is a type of straw hat that is very effective against the hot sun. It is a classic hat that men and women have always worn at the regatta.”

Following the closure of her shop during the coronavirus pandemic, Ms Felix retrained as a celebrant.

She said: “I have always enjoyed public speaking. I have had to hone some of the skills I already used, like really listening to people and understanding what they want, but it has also increased things like my organisational skills.

“In total, I have officiated at more than 150 services. I do both funerals and weddings but it was mostly funerals during the pandemic.

“It’s an incredibly rewarding role and it’s such an honour to be part of someone’s special day, whether that be their wedding day or their final farewell.”

Ms Felix, who has been a milliner for more than 30 years, said she had also continued making hats “for fun and just for the hell of it really”.

But she missed the community spirit of Henley and is pleased to have a workshop at Withy Copse, Gallowstree Common, where she can meet clients by appointment.

She said: “It’s a little cluster of units filled by lots of local artists and small businesses.

“It’s a blissful, lovely spot, nestled almost in the woods. I can hear cockerels and all sorts of birds while I work. While I love company, I really enjoy solitude when working.” Over the years Ms Felix has supplied hats to well-known clients including Theresa May. She made the former prime minister a hat for the King’s coronation.

Ms Felix said: “I had a drawing of her outfit from her designer to work from and I already knew what shapes suited her and what she likes.

“I made two hats actually; one was orange and ivory with a hint of red and one was red and orange with an ivory trim.

“She went with the trimming in the end but she couldn’t decide until the evening before.

“I had no idea which hat she was going to choose until I saw it on TV.”

Ms Felix, who grew up in Wargrave, said her love of sewing was inherited.

“My grandfather and great-grandfather were tailors on Savile Row so growing up we always sewed and made things,” she said.

“My elder brother Geoff Felix is an amazing puppeteer, so we have both always been interested in moulding and creating structures.

“My sister Lisa also helped me out in my shop for years and will be a familiar face to a lot of my clients.”

She added: “I am so excited to be back and I have had such a lovely warm welcome from all of my old clients.”