York milliner Dawn Guibert is at Cheltenham races this week – getting her 2012 season off to a flying start, writes MAXINE GORDON

DAWN Guibert still remembers the shock she felt when she flicked through a magazine and saw a picture of Kate Middleton wearing one of her creations.

The York milliner picks up the story: “Kate Middleton had gone to Get Ahead Hats, where I supply hats.” Kate went on to wear the hat at a society wedding… and was photographed by the paparazzi.

“That hat was everywhere!” says Dawn. “For about a month, it was in every newspaper and magazine. Nobody knew I had made it.”

The hat had a special poignancy for Dawn. It was part of a collection she designed following the tragic death of her first-born son, Jem, who was born prematurely and died in her arms at three days old.

“Because these were the first hats I designed after my child died, I named each of the hats after a gem stone. The one Kate wore was called Jet.”

Although Dawn makes hats for Get Ahead Hats, she has also launched her own exclusive, bespoke range, simply called Guibert.

“All Guibert hats are one-offs,” says Dawn. “Most are commissions. Guibert hats are for hat lovers… to buy a Guibert hat you really have to love hats. They are a work of art.”

It can take three times as long for Dawn to make a bespoke hat, which can cost from £250 upwards. Her most expensive commission so far cost £1,200.

“This was for Eddie Stobart, the haulage company, which wanted a hat for Ascot to promote the business,” says Dawn. For this, she made 45 fabric roses by hand, in six of seven different colours, with the same number of hand-made leaves and the name ‘Stobart’ emblazoned across the back of the hat.

She prides herself on the attention to detail and traditional craftsmanship. All her hats are hand-blocked and stitched and she uses fabrics rather than sinamay 90 per cent of the time.

“I’m trying to bring the art of millinery back into the industry,” says Dawn, who is married and has a son, Sam, aged four.

As a child, Dawn used to make clothes and went on to study fashion at college.

“I wanted to be a sculptor, but went into clothes design, then made hats, which is a combination of fashion and sculpture.”

Dawn’s artistry is evident in her work. In the new Guibert collection for 2012, we find hats that look like snakes twisting up through a large silk flower and a pill box hat in purple metallic fabric with giant roses and netting as a finishing flourish.

Fashion trends are also evident in the new collection.

“Vintage clothing is very popular so there is a vintage style hat this year, which takes you back to the days of Audrey Hepburn,” says Dawn. This hat is in black with white polkadots and is finished with a bow in the same fabric and a large white flower. It looks perfect with a little black dress and a pair of long gloves.

Metallics are another big trend Dawn has incorporated in the new collection.

Dawn is becoming well known on the racing circuit for her super-stylish designs. TV presenter Zoey Bird, who presents At The Races on Sky TV, is a fan and wore Dawn’s creations for all four days of Ascot last year. This week at Cheltenham, Zoey will be wearing a Guibert hat when she comperes the best dressed lady event.

As for the fashion, Dawn expects Cheltenham to produce its usual stream of classic outfits.

“It’s very twin-set and pearls,” says Dawn. “It’s a very classy affair.”

And her outfit? Dawn says: “I’ll be wearing a new coat from Pinko and a tartan and velvet hat.”

A Guibert one, of course.

• Find out more at guibertmillinery.com