The hat designer Nicki Marquardt

A passion for shape, feel, colour and personality, combined with an infallible sense for fashion and the here-and-now: that is Nicki Marquardt.

And this can be sensed in every item that bears her name – as Nicki Marquardt knows how to relate a personal story through hats.

And how select materials, masterly techniques and unique designs are combined to form one entity

From a passion to a calling

The right hat on the right head creates moments that are unique and can sometimes even change a life – as was the case with Nicki Marquardt herself.

She first went into a hat shop when she was a young student. With little money but an idea and – more importantly – a feeling. She wanted her perfect summer hat. A hat that spoke of the sea, gulls, lemon ice cream, collecting shells and drinking espresso.

At that time Nicki Marquardt was not familiar with words such as ‘mottled’, ‘baliluk’ or ‘abacá’, but when she saw her hat that feeling suddenly became palpable – and even wearable.

Her dream hat was created precisely to her wishes in the adjoining workshop and fashioned exactly to suit her. The result changed everything.

Nicki Marquardt gave up her studies, became a master milliner and founded her own label in 1996 that, today, has a strong influence on different styles and is at home around the world.

Hutmacher Hutdesign Hutmacherin München Nicki Marquardt

Design and philosophy

Functional and fanciful, perfectionist and liberal, traditional and avant-garde:

Nicki Marquardt’s design language cannot be easily pidgeon-holed. Just as little as the fans of her creations.

The philosophy behind her designs, however, is always the same. Namely, considerable empathy coupled with an infallible sense for contemporary looks and timeless design.

Nicki Marquardt understands which head requires what hat – and vice versa. When such a dream duo has been found, the character and style of the wearer come alive in a unique way. And the hat becomes much more than a mere accessory.

Handgefertigter Fascinator HUt aus Hutmacher-Hand

Studio and techniques

Whether an individual bespoke commission or a design from one of the collections: every single Nicki Marquardt model is, in the true sense of the word, masterly crafted by hand and leaves the studio in Munich for London, New York, Paris or Seoul; for a ‘fashion week’ or Vogue, for Ascot or Tokyo.

The premises in Türkenstrasse in Munich is both a design studio and an innovative production workshop. With a team of ten master milliners and bespoke tailors, as well as knitwear specialists, it is a centre of exceptional talent, experience and creativity.

From the search for exciting materials to ‘cross-overs’ with other craft branches and the development of our own manufacturing processes: the team surrounding Nicki Marquardt is technically perfect and always on the lookout for something new

Straw braid sewing machine

Customers and fans

Wearing a hat means giving fashionable expression to one’s own individuality, facing the world self-assuredly with confident stylishness. Whoever wears a Nicki Marquardt hat is, therefore, not just a customer – but a fashion ambassador.

This can be admired in the case of several prominent fans such as Princess Sarah von Isenburg, Princess Nadja von Schaumburg Lippe, Uschi Glas, Brigitte Hobmeier and Hannelore Kraft.

But regardless of whether a fashion icon, costume designer, individualist or top manager: Nicki Marquardt customers value and find pleasure in the unique and special.

It is not for nothing that more than sixty high-end fashion and concept stores around the world stock Nicki Marquardt hats.

Her creations have been enthusiastically received for more than twenty years now, well beyond the borders of Germany, and have won numerous awards.

From couture and the collections to her award-winning ‘Foldables’ and collaborations: Nicki Marquardt hats are a form of expression and transformation, for the everyday and that grand entrance – and, first and foremost, fashion. In the best sense of the word and for all the senses.

Discover the diversity of the Nicki Marquardt portfolio here.

Kunde mit Strohhut der Hutmacherin Nicki Marquardt

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