Milliner Gigi Burris is teaming up with Woodford Reserve to introduce a luxurious, artisanal collection of hats that honors the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby.
“The Woodford Reserve Collection” blends craftsmanship with a refined, nuanced palette inspired by the more than 200 distinct flavors of Woodford Reserve’s bourbon.
The 151st annual Kentucky Derby will take place May 3 at the historic Churchill Downs.
“The Kentucky Derby and headwear have a richly intertwined history with decades of American style moments defined by hats,” said Burris, whose studio is based in New York City. “This collaboration with Woodford Reserve reflects the same sense of tradition, craftsmanship and style.”
“Dressing for The Kentucky Derby begins with the hat,” said Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve Master Distiller. “We are honored to partner with Gigi to unveil this refined collection for both men and women.”
Woodford Reserve Distillery, a national historic landmark, is based in the heart of thoroughbred country in Versailles, Ky.
The collection includes three styles of hats for women, a men’s fedora and a bespoke unisex rose brooch. The collection’s colors — molasses, white, mahogany, caramel and toffee — pay homage to the warm, rich tones of Woodford Reserve.
Gigi Burris
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The hats range in price from $410 to $460, and can be purchased at the Gigi Burris Millinery store at 23 Pell Street in New York or online at gigiburris.com/collections/gigi-burris-for-woodford-reserve.
The men’s fedora, known as the Foreman, is hand-blocked from molasses metallic flecked straw braid. It is finished with a cotton grosgrain ribbon, a hand-stitched slim leather band, and a pheasant feather embellishment. One of the women’s hats, dubbed the Bellemere, is handcrafted from custom-made Starbright straw braid in white and toffee, and features a domed crown. The lightweight caramel sinamay straw brim is sculpted and a slim mahogany-colored cotton grosgrain band adds a refined contrast.
Another women’s hat is called the Filly that is sewn from wide toffee-hued hemp straw braid. The cocktail hat has a draped hemp loop embellishment that anchors gathered vintage toffee veiling, accented with hand-placed chenille dots for added dimension.
Gigi Burris
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The Somerset women’s hat has a slim, sculptural crown, hand-blocked from white sinamay, and is paired with a downward-sloping brim, encircled by cotton grosgrain piping. The modern silhouette is accented with tonal fine veiling draped at the crown and delicate sinamay straw flora with vintage stamen.
A unisex lapel pin, called the Rosette, is crafted from hand-molded metallic copper lambskin sculpted into a rose motif. Set on a rhodium lapel pin, this piece merges industrial shine with organic form, a subtle nod to the celebrated flower of the Kentucky Derby. It sells for $145.
The Rosette unisex lapel pin.
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