William Chambers Millinery

Biography

‘Elegance with an edge.’  - WILLIAM CHAMBERS

After starting out as a knitwear designer, award-winning Scottish milliner William Chambers has been creating headpieces since 2007. His designs have appeared on the heads of numerous celebrities, including pop singers Róisín Murphy, Ana Matronic, Joan Jett and Kelis and Royal Ascot TV presenter Suzi Perry. 

‘He is a fantastic milliner...He makes things that are classically beautiful in an elegant way but he makes things that are wearable’ – STEPHEN JONES

William Chambers studied at the Scottish College of Textiles and gained a First Class Honours degree in Textile Design in 2001. In 2007 William studied millinery at Metropolitan University, Glasgow, Scotland, creating a collection that was shown at Glasgow Fashion Week. Chambers established William Chambers Millinery shortly after this and received a kick-start to his career when pop star and fashion icon Roisin Murphy wore one of his hats on several dates of her European tour, resulting in much press attention.

William Chambers has created headwear for Scottish fashion label Olanic and Johnstons of Elgin. In March 2010 William was invited to create several hats and headpieces for the Dressed to Kilt Fashion Show hosted by Sean Connery in New York City, as part of Tartan Week, where rock legend Joan Jett donned one of his enormous feather headpieces.

This year, William Chambers has been awarded Scottish Accessory Designer of the Year for the second time, after his first win in 2010. Chambers was also given the very prestigious accolade of being one of the 5 chosen milliners to exhibit at Headonism 2012, the London Fashion Week hat exhibition curated by Stephen Jones and sponsored by Royal Ascot. Scotsman William Chambers played with unconventional materials in his floral collection, which, inspired by the photographs of Cecil Beaton, featured black leather bouquets flanked with tulle and a fascinator of crystals and daisies made from plastic drinking straws.