‘Milliner in Residence’ Shows Contemporary Headwear made from Recycled MaterialsHATS by Alva WilsonUntil 8 Sept. 2019Luton, UKAlva Wilson, ‘milliner in residence’ at Wardown Park Museum in Luton, is using his first solo exhibition ‘HATS’ to display contemporary headwear made from recycled materials. The show aims to challenge traditional millinery techniques by making use of recyclable objects, and seeks to prove that style and environmental awareness need not be mutually exclusive. Alva says: “Working with recyclable materials challenges you to experiment, invent new techniques or refine old ones in ways you never thought possible.”

Alva is a member of the newly revived British Hat Guild. His post as ‘milliner in residence’ was created by Luton Culture, a local arts charity, as part of an initiative to work with residents in sheltered housing who had previously worked in the hat industry. The project aims to rekindle forgotten skills and to reconnect elderly residents to their heritage with the hat trade, while helping people to combat loneliness, anxiety and social exclusion.

Alongside Alva’s temporary exhibition, the Wardown Park Museum (formerly the Luton Museum & Art Gallery) is home to a main collection that focuses on the traditional crafts of the local area, notably lace making and hat making.

More information www.lutonculture.com/wardown-house/whats-on/2019/07/06/hats/2902